/ 


THE  GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/paintergildervarOOunse 


THE 


PAINTER, 
GILDER,  AND  YARNISHER’S 
COMPANION: 

CONTAINING 

RULES  AND  REGULATIONS 

IN 

EVERY  THING  RELATING  TO  THE  ARTS  OE  PAINTING,  GILD¬ 
ING,  VARNISHING,  AND  GLASS-STAINING; 

Numerous  Useful  ami  Valuable  Receipts; 

TESTS  FOR  THE  DETECTION  OF  ADULTERATIONS  IN  OILS,  COLOURS,  ETO.  J 
AND  A 

STATEMENT  OF  THE  DISEASES  AND  ACCIDENTS  TO  WHICH  PAINTERS,  OILDER8 
AND  TARNISHERS  ARE  PECULIARLY  LIABLE  ; 

With  the  Simplest  ami  Best  Methods  of  Prevention  and  Remedy. 

WITH  DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRAINING,  MARBLING,  SIGN-WRITING 
AND  GILDING  ON  GLASS. 

HEtn'tioii. 


TO  WHICH  ARE  ADDED  COMPLETE 
INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  COACH  PAINTING  AND  VARNISHING. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD, 

INDUSTRIAL  PUBLISHER, 

No.  406  WALNUT  STREET 

1869. 

Tv 

»  l  i 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1866,  by 
II emit  Carey  Baird, 

in  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  in  and  for  th« 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


COLLINS,  PRINTER. 


PREFACE. 


Tfk  object  of  the  “Painter,  Gilder,  and 
Varnibher’s  Companion”  is  to  give  a  clear,  con¬ 
cise,  and  comprehensive  view  of  the  principal  ope¬ 
rations  connected  with  the  practice  of  those  trades  ; 
and  to  imbody,  in  as  little  compass  and  as  simple 
language  as  possible,  the  present  state  of  know¬ 
ledge  in  the  arts  of  Painting,  Gilding,  and  Var¬ 
nishing,  including  all  the  information  derived  from 
the  numerous  recent  discoveries  in  Chemistry.  It 
has  been  the  compiler’s  aim,  while  he  has  rejected 
all  that  appeared  foreign  to  the  subject,  to  omit 
nothing  of  real  utility ;  and  he  trusts  he  shall  be 
found  to  have  attained  it. 

The  best  authorities  have  been  consulted  through¬ 
out,  and  the  arrangement  has  been  uniformly  made 
with  a  view  to  practical  purposes.  The  names  of 
the  different  substances  mentioned  are  those  in 
common  use  ;  and  wherever  it  has  been  found  ne- 


4 


PREFACE. 


cessary  to  employ  a  term  not  generally  known,  an 
explanation  has  been  given  in  a  note  or  otherwise. 

In  the  receipts,  accuracy  has  been  carefully  at¬ 
tended  to  in  stating  the  number  and  nature  of  the 
ingredients  to  be  employed,  and  the  fullest  and 
plainest  instructions  given  for  the  proper  methods 
of  applying  them. 

The  arts  of  Polishing,  vV axing,  Laquering,  Ja¬ 
panning,  &c.,  being  intimately  connected  with  the 
trades  of  Painting,  Gilding,  and  Varnishing,  are 
properly  introduced  in  the  following  pages.  Re¬ 
ceipts  are  likewise  given  for  the  preparation  of 
Sail  Cloth,  Oil  Cloth,  Printer’s  Ink,  Court  Plas¬ 
ter,  and  a  variety  of  other  substances,  the  compo¬ 
sition  of  which,  depending  upon  operations  ren¬ 
dered  familiar  to  the  Painter,  Gilder,  or  Varnishei*, 
by  his  ordinary  occupation,  will  make  these  addi¬ 
tions  both  useful  and  interesting  to  him. 

The  reader  will  also  find  an  account  of  the  prin¬ 
cipal  adulterations  practised  upon  oils,  colours, 
gums,  &c.,  with  the  readiest  modes  of  detecting 
them. 

The  numerous  accidents  and  peculiar  diseases 
to  which  Painters,  Gilders,  and  Varnishers  are 
known  to  be  liable  in  the  exercise  of  their  trade, 
have  suggested  to  me  the  propriety  of  introducing 
a  notice  of  the  chief  of  these,  with  their  general 
causes,  and  pointing  out  the  best  means  of  preven¬ 
tion  and  remedy.  For  the  information  contained 


PREFACE. 


5 


on  this  head,  I  am  indebted  to  the  kind  assistance 
of  a  medical  gentleman  of  extensive  acquirements 
and  great  experience. 

I  trust  it  is  needless  to  observe  that  I  do  not 
profess,  in  the  following  pages,  to  instruct  the  ex¬ 
perienced  Painter,  Gilder,  or  Yarnisher,  in  his 
business  ;  but  I  flatter  myself  that  even  he  may 
find  in  them  something  that  is  either  new  to  him, 
or  which  he  has  as  yet  known  but  imperfectly  or 
incorrectly.  There  was  a  time  -when  persons  en¬ 
gaged  in  mechanical  trades  distrusted  every  thing, 
in  the  way  of  their  business,  except  what  they  had 
themselves  seen  or  practised.  But  this  state  of 
things  has  gone  by,  and,  together  with  the  igno¬ 
rance  and  prejudice  that  occasioned  it,  has  been 
banished  by  the  general  thirst  after  knowledge  at 
present  so  prevalent.  Every  mechanic  is  now 
aware  that  his  experience  alone  can  supply  him 
with  no  facts  beyond  the  limits  of  his  particular 
observation  and  practice;  while,  in  perusing  a 
well-executed  treatise  on  his  art,  he  is  enabled  to 
combine  the  experience  and  observation  of  other 
persons  with  his  own,  and  to  profit  by  them  ac¬ 
cordingly. 

It  is  presumed  that  the  “  Painter,  Gilder, 
and  Varnisher’s  Companion”  may  be  useful  to 
others  besides  professed  tradesmen.  Persons  hap¬ 
pening  to  reside  at  a  distance  from  any  regular 

tradesman,  or  who,  possessing  confined  means  or 
1* 


6 


PREFACE. 


ample  leisure,  wish  to  execute  light  work  of  this 
nature  themselves,  will  find  the  present  treatise  a 
material  assistance  to  them.  And  even  to  gentle¬ 
men  differently  circumstanced,  it  may  be  extremely 
serviceable,  by  enabling  them,  wdien  they  have 
workmen  engaged  in  painting  and  gilding  on  an 
extensive  scale,  to  superintend  and  direct  the  ope¬ 
rations  of  those  they  employ,  and,  in  many  cases, 
to  judge  of  their  integrity  and  ability. 


CONTENTS, 


PAGE 

Tools  and  Apparatus .  7 

Taylor’s  Indigo  Grinding-mill .  9 

Rawlinson’s  Indigo  Grinding-mill  11 

COLOURS .  19 

Whites .  19 

White  Lead,  Ceruse,  and  Flake 

White .  19 

Spanish,  or  Bougival  White .  21 

Gypsum,  or  Plaster  of  Paris .  21 

White  of  Troyes,  or  White  Chalk  22 

Blacks .  22 

Ivory  Black .  22 

Lamp  Black .  23 

Charcoal  Blacks .  23 

Reds .  24 

Vermilion .  24 

Minium,  or  Red  Lead .  25 

Carmine .  26 

Lake .  28 

Spanish  Brown .  29 

Other  Reds .  30 

Yellows .  30 

Yellow  Ochre . 30 

Massicot .  30 

Chrome  Yellow .  31 

Turner’s,  or  Patent  Yellow . .  31 

Orpiment .  32 

Naples  Yellow..., . . .  32 

Yellow  of  Antimony .  33 

Yellow  Pink...... .  33 

Blues .  33 

Prussian  Blue .  33 

Indigo . . . , .  34 

Ultramarine .  35 

Smalt,  ZaffVe,  Azure,  Saxon  Blue, 

or  Enamel  Blue .  36 

Blue  Verditer .  37 

Greens .  37 

Verdigris .  37 

Italian  or  Verona  Green .  38 


pate 

Saxon,  or  Hungary  Green .  38 

Scheeles’  Green .  38 

Schweinfurt  Green .  39 

Brunswick  Green .  39 

Green  Verditer .  40 

Green  Lake,  or  Venetian  Green...  40 

Browns .  4L 

Umber .  41 

New  Brown,  discovered  by  Mr. 

Hatchet .  41 

Compound  Colours,  or  Colours 

ARISING  FROM  MIXTURE .  42 

Light  Gray .  42 

Buff .  42 

Silver,  or  Pearl  Gray .  42 

Flaxen  Gray .  42 

Brick  colour .  42 

Oak-wood  colour .  42 

Walnut-tree  colour .  43 

Jonquil .  43 

Lemon  Yellow .  43 

Orange  colour .  43 

Violet  colour .  43 

Purple .  43 

Carnation .  43 

Gold  colour .  43 

Olive  colour .  43 

Lead  colour .  43 

Chestnut  colour .  43 

Light  Timber  colour .  44 

Flesh  colour .  44 

Light  Willow  Green .  44 

Grass  Green .  44 

Stone  colour .  44 

Dark  Lead  colour .  44 

Fawn  colour .  44 

Chocolate  colour .  44 

Portland  Stone  colour .  44 

To  imitate  Mahogany .  44 

To  imitate  Wainscot . .  44 


(Hi) 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


To  imitate  Satin  wood .  44 

Oils .  45 

Oil  of  Spike .  45 

Oil  of  Lavender .  45 

Oil  of  Poppies .  45 

Nut  Oil,  or  Linseed  Oil .  46 

Oil  of  Turpentine .  48 

Pat  '  >ils .  48 

Drying  Oils .  49 

Pilchard  Oils .  50 

Varnishes .  51 

Shell-lac  Varnish .  54 

Red  Shell-lac  Varnish .  55 

Turpentine  Varnish .  55 

Linseed  Oil  Varnish .  56 

Copal  Varnish .  56 

Gold-coloured  Copal  Varnish .  56 

Camphorated  Copal  Varnish .  57 

Copal  Varnish  in  imitation  of  Tor¬ 
toise-Shell .  57 

Amber  Varnish . . .  59 

Caoutchouc,  or  Gum-elastic  Var¬ 
nish . r .  60 

Mastic  Varnish .  60 

Varnish  for  Violins,  etc .  61 

White  Hard  Varnish .  62 

Varnishes  for  Paling  and  coarse 

Wood- work . 62 

Varnish  for  Coloured  Drawings...  63 

Varnish  for  Glass .  G3 

Black  Varnish  for  old  Straw  or 

Chip  Mats .  63 

Varnish  for  Drawings  and  Card- 

work .  64 

Changing  Varnishes .  64 

Mordant  Varnishes .  65 

General  Observations  on  Var¬ 
nishes .  66 

Polishes .  70 

Varnish  Polish .  70 

Polish  for  Dark-coloured  Woods...  70 
Polish  for  Tunbridge-ware,  Goods, 

etc .  71 

Carver’s  Polish .  72 

French  Polish .  72 

Water-proof  Polish .  72 

Finishing  Polish .  73 

Gilding  Materials .  74 

Fine  Gold  Powder .  74 

Colour-heightening  Compositions.  74 

Mosaic  Gold .  75 

Dutch  or  German  Metal .  76 

Ethereal  Solution  of  Gold .  76 

Gold  Oil-colour,  or  Size .  78 

Gold  Water  Size .  7S 

Preparatory  Size .  78 


PAGE 


White  Coating .  79 

Colouring  Yellow .  79 

Vermeil .  80 

Miscellaneous  Materials .  81 

Painter’s  Cream .  81 

Rotten  Stone .  81 

Glue  and  Isinglass .  82 

Common  Size .  82 

Grinding  and  Washing  Colours  83 

Cleanliness  in  Working .  88 

Practice  of  Painting .  91 

Painting  in  Distemper .  94 

Painting  in  Milk .  97 

Practice  of  Varnishing  and 

Polishing .  100 

French  Polish . : .  102 

Waxing . .  105 

Practice  of  Gilding .  107 

Gilding  Carved  Wood  with 

Water  Size .  107 

Gilding  Plaster  or  Marble  with 

Water  Size .  Ill 

Gilding  Wood  in  Oil .  112 

To  Gild  Steel .  112 

To  Gild  Copper,  Brass,  etc .  113 

Gilding  Glass  and  Porcelain .  113 

Gilding  Leather .  114 

Gilding  Writings,  Drawings, etc., 


Gilding  the  Edges  of  Paper .  116 

On  Lacquering .  117 

Lacquer  for  Brass .  117 

Lacquer  for  Philosophical  In¬ 
struments .  117 

Gold-coloured  Lacquer  for  Brass 
Watch-cases,  Watch-keys,  etc.  118 
To  make  Lacquer  of  various 

Tints .  119 

To  Clean  old  Brass-work  for  Lac¬ 
quering . 119 

Bronzing .  120 

Japanning .  123 

Colours  required  in  Japanning...  123 
To  prepare  a  Tortoise-shell  Ja¬ 
pan  ground  by  means  of  Meat.  124 

Foils . 125 

To  Colour  Foils .  126 

Fish  Oil  Colours .  130 

To  prepare  the  Oil .  130 

Gain  by  the  above  Process .  131 

Preparation  and  Cost  of  particu¬ 
lar  Colours .  132 

Subdued  Green .  132 

Lead  Colour .  133 

Bright  Green .  134 

Stone  Colour .  135 


CONTENTS. 


V 


PAGE 


Brown  Red . . .  135 

Chocolate  Colour .  136 

Yellow .  136 

Black .  136 

Glass-Staining .  137 

No.  1.  Flux .  139 

No.  2.  Gray  Flux .  139 

No.  3.  Flux  for  Carmines  and 

Greens .  139 

The  Various  Colors .  139 

Blues . 140 

Indigo  Blue .  140 

Turquoise  Blue .  141 

Azure  Blue .  141 

Beep  Azure  Blue .  141 

Sky  Blue  for  the  Browns .  141 

Violet  Blue,  for  Ground  Colour...  142 
Lavender  Blue,  for  Ground 

Tint .  142 

Greens .  142 

Emerald  Green .  142 

Bluish  Green .  143 

Grass  Green .  143 

Dragon,  Pistache,  and  Olive 

Green .  143 

Yellows .  143 

Sulphur  Yellow .  144 

Fixed  Yellow  for  touches .  144 

Yellow  for  Browns  and  Greens...  144 
Deep  Yellow,  to  mix  with  the 

Chromium  Greens .  145 

Jonquille  Yellow  for  flowers .  145 

Wax  Yellow . . .  145 

Fixed  Wax  Yellow .  145 

Nankin  Yellow  for  grounds .  146 

Deep  Nankin  Yellow .  146 

Pale  Yellow  Ochre .  146 

Deep  Yellow  Ochre,  called  Yel¬ 
low  Brown .  146 

Brown  Yellow  Ochre .  146 

Isabella  Yellow,  for  grounds .  147 

Orange  Yellow,  for  grounds .  147 

Brick  Red .  147 

Deep  Blood  Red .  147 

Colours  of  Gold . 147 

Hard  Carmine .  148 

Pure  Purple .  148 

Deep  Violet .  148 

Colours  of  Iron .  148 

Flesh  Red . ?»...  149 

Clove  Brown .  149 

Wood  Brown .  150 

Hair  Brown .  150 

Liver  Brown .  150 

Sepia  Brown .  150 

White .  150 


PAGE 


Yellowish-Gray  for  Browns  and 

Reds .  151 

Bluish-Gray  for  mixtures .  151 

Grayish-Black  for  mixtures .  151 

Deep  Black .  152 

Application  of  the  Colours .  152 

To  fire  the  Paintings .  154 

Furnace  and  Muffle .  154 

Harmony  of  Colours .  158 

Miscellaneous  Subjects  and 

Useful  Receipts .  159 

To  increase  the  strength  of  com¬ 
mon  Rectified  Spirits  of  Wine.  159 

To  Silver  by  Heat .  160 

To  Tin  Copper  and  Brass .  161 

To  Tin  li  on  and  Copper  Vessels.  161 
To  Paint  Sail-Cloth  so  as  to  make 
it  Pliable,  Durable,  and  Water¬ 
proof. . 162 

To  make  Oil-Cloth .  162 

To  prepare  Varnished  Silk .  164 

To  paint  Cloth,  Cambric,  Sarce¬ 
net,  etc.,  so  as  to  render  them 

Transparent .  164 

To  thicken  Linen  Cloths  for 

Screens .  165 

Printer’s  Ink . . .  165 

Sticking,  or  Court  Plaster .  160 

To  imitate  Tortoise-shell  with 

Horn .  167 

A  Varnish  to  preserve  Glass  from 

the  Rays  of  the  Sun .  168 

To  imitate  Rosewood .  168 

To  imitate  Black  Rosewood .  169 

A  fine  Black  Varnish  for  Coaches 

and  Iron  Work .  170 

A  Varnish  to  imitate  the  Chinese  170 

To  clean  Silver  Furniture .  170 

To  colour  the  Backs  of  Chimneys 

with  Lead  Ore .  171 

To  clean  Marble,  Sienna,  Jasper, 

Porphyry,  etc .  171 

A  White  for  inside  Painting .  171 

To  take  Ink  Spots  out  of  Mahog¬ 
any . 172 

To  make  Paste  for  Furniture .  172 

To  make  Oil  for  Furniture .  173 

To  Brown  Gun  Barrels .  173 

To  clean  Pictures . . 173 

Another  Method . 174 

Varnish  for  Clock  Faces,  etc......  174 

Varnish  for  Balloons .  175 

Diseases  and  Accidents  to  * 
•which  Painters  and  Var- 

NISHRRS  ARE  PARTICULARLY 
LIABLE .  ...  177 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


Painter’s  Colic .  177 

Weakness  of  the  Wrists .  180 

Effects  of  Poisonous  Substances 
used  in  Painting  and  Varnish¬ 
ing .  181 

Nausea .  184 

Burns  and  Scalds .  184 

General  Observations .  187 

Directions  for  Graining  and 
Imitating  Woods  and  Mar¬ 
bles  .  190 

Oak .  190 

Combs .  190 

Brushes .  191 

Colours,  etc .  191 

Graining  Colour .  192 

Spirit  Colour. .  194 

Pollard  Oak .  195 

Root  of  Oak .  196 

To  Grain  Pollard  and  Root  of 

Oak  in  Distemper .  196 

Walnut .  197 

Bird’s-eye  Maple  in  Distemper...  197 

To  Grain  Maple  in  Oil .  199 

Batin-wood .  200 

Mahogany  in  Distemper .  201 

Mahogany  in  Oil .  201 

Rosewood .  202 

Marble .  203 

Vienna .  203 

Black  and  Gold  Marble .  204 

Saint  Ann’s .  205 

Verd  Antique,  or  Ancient  Green  205 

Egyptian  Green .  206 

Rouge  Roi,  or  Royal  Red .  206 

Italian  Jasper .  207 

Dove  Marble .  208 

Black  Bar  del  la .  .  208 


PAGE 


Derbyshire  Spar .  208 

Granites .  209 

To  Polish  Imitation  Marbles .  210 

Instructions  for  Sign-Writing  211 
Setting-out,  or  Arrangement  of 

Letters .  213 

To  raise  or  make  Letters  appear 
to  stand  out  from  the  Board, 

and  to  shadow  them .  213 

To  Gild  Letters .  214 

To  Write,  Gild,  and  Ornament 

on  Glass . .* .  215 

Complete  Instructions  for 
Coach-Painting  and  Var¬ 
nishing  .  217 

A  suitable  place  to  work  in .  217 

Preparing  the  Oil .  217 

Boiled  Oil .  217 

Raw  Oil .  219 

Priming  Coat  for  a  carriage-gear¬ 
ing  and  body .  219 

Smoothing  with  sandpaper .  220 

Use  of  pumice-stone  in  smooth¬ 
ing  after  priming .  220 

Use  of  grained  sole  leather  in 

smoothing  after  priming .  220 

Rough-stuffing .  221 

Finishing  up  to  receive  the  colour  223 

Putting  on  the  colour .  224 

Rubbing  down  after  the  second 

coat .  220 

Varnishing .  227 

Ornamenting  and  striping .  229 

Ornaments  on  panels .  230 

Shading .  232 

Striping .  232 

Varnishing  after  strijing .  235 


THE 


PAINTER,  GILDER,  AND  YARNISHER’S 

COMPANION. 


TOOLS  AND  APPARATUS. 

Before  proceeding  to  enter  upon  any  details  respect¬ 
ing  the  nature,  use,  and  composition  of  the  substances 
employed  by  the  Painter,  Gilder,  and  Varnisher,  I  shall 
give  a  description  of  the  tools  and  apparatus  necessary 
in  these  occupations,  with  directions  for  their  selection 
and  proper  use.  The  first  in  order  and  in  importance 
are  the  grindstone  and  muller,  employed  in  grinding 
colours.  The  grindstone  in  common  use  is  a  horizontal 
slab,  about  eighteen  inches  square,  and  sufficiently  heavy 
to  enable  it  to  remain  fixed  and  firm  while  the  colours 
are  ground  upon  it.  The  best  material  is  spotted  marble 
or  granite )  but  when  that  cannot  be  procured  without 
inconvenience  or  great  expense,  white  or  black  marble 
may  be  used.  Particular  care  must  be  taken  that  the  stone 

is  hard  and  of  a  close  grain,  and  not  full  of  small  pores, 

7 


8 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


which  will  be  sure  to  retain  part  of  the  colours  first 
ground,  and  thus  prevent  the  stone  from  being  properly 
cleaned,  and  render  the  colour’s  that  are  ground  after¬ 
wards  mixed  and  dingy. 

A  large  piece  of  slate  is  sometimes  used  for  a  grind¬ 
stone  ;  but  this  is  very  improper,  except  where  the  colours 
are  quite  of  a  common  description,  and  the  painting  re¬ 
quires  no  nicety. 

The  mullet  is  a  pebble-stone,  in  the  shape  of  an  egg, 
with  the  larger  end  broken  off,  and  then  ground  as  smooth 
and  flat  as  possible.  It  is  generally  to  be  purchased 
ready-made  at  the  colour  shops.  The  greater  its  size 
(if  the  dimensions  are  not  so  large  as  to  make  it  difficult 
for  the  workman,  with  a  moderate  exertion  of  the  strength 
of  his  arms,  to  keep  it  in  continual  motion)  the  better. 
The  usual  size  is  from  two  to  three  inches  in  diameter 
at  the  flat  end,  and  about  five  inches  high.  In  choosing 
it,  the  principal  points  to  be  observed  are,  that  the  sur¬ 
face  is  perfectly  smooth  and  the  edges  well  rounded  off. 

An  excellent  substitute  for  the  common  grindstone 
and  muller,  but  confined  in  its  application  to  the  grind¬ 
ing  of  colours  in  a  dry  state,  has  been  invented  by  Mr. 
Charles  Taylor,  of  Manchester,  England,  and  is  repre¬ 
sented  by  Figs.  1  and  2. 

Fig.  1  represents  a  mortar,  made  of  marble  or  other 
hard  stone.  One  made  in  the  usual  form  will  answer. 

M  is  a  muller  or  grinder,  made  nearly  in  the  form  of 
a  pear,  in  the  upper  part  of  which  an  iron  axis  is  firmly 
fixed ;  which  axis,  at  the  parts  marked  N,  N,  turns  in 
grooves,  or  slits,  made  in  two  pieces  of  oak,  projecting 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


9 


TAYLOR’S  INDIGO  GRINDING-MILL. 
Fig.  1.  Fig.  2. 


horizontally  from  a  wall,  &c. ;  and  when  the  axis  is  at 
work,  it  is  secured  in  the  grooves  by  the  iron  pins  0,  0. 

P,  the  handle,  which  forms  a  part  of  the  axis,  and  by 
turning  which  the  grinder  is  worked. 

Q,  the  wall,  &c.,  in  which  the  oak  pieces,  N,  N,  are 
fixed. 

R,  a  weight,  which  may  occasionally  be  added,  if 
more  power  is  wanted. 

Fig.  2  shows  the  muller  or  grinder  with  its  axis  sepa* 


10 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


rate  from  the  other  machinery :  its  bottom  should  be 
made  to  fit  the  mortar. 

S,  a  groove  cut  through  the  stone  muller. 

The  muller  being  placed  in  the  mortar,  and  secured 
in  the  oak  pieces  by  means  of  the  pins,  the  colour  to  be 
ground  is  thrown  into  the  mortar,  above  the  muller;  on 
turning  the  handle,  the  colour  in  lumps  falls  into  the 
groove  cut  through  the  muller;  and  is  from  thence 
drawn  in  under  the  action  of  the  muller,  and  again  pro¬ 
pelled  to  its  outer  edge,  within  the  mortar;  from  whence 
the  coarser  particles  again  fall  into  the  groove  of  the 
muller,  and  are  again  ground  underneath  it ;  this  opera¬ 
tion  is  continued  until  the  whole  of  the  colour  is  ground 
to  an  impalpable  powder :  the  muller  is  then  readily 
removed  and  the  colour  taken  out. 

To  prevent  any  of  the  colour  from  flying  off  in  dust 
under  the  rapid  operation  of  the  muller,  and  to  save  also 
the  workmen  from  inhaling  any  of  those  pernicious  mat¬ 
ters  which  enter  into  the  composition  of  most  paints,  a 
wooden  cover,  made  in  two  halves,  with  a  hole  in  it  for 
the  axis  of  the  muller  to  pass  through,  is  usually  placed 
on  the  mortar  while  at  work.  Had  Mr.  Taylor’s  mill 
nothing  else  to  recommend  it,  the  protection  which  it 
thus  affords  to  the  health  of  the  workmen  ought  alone 
to  insure  its  general  adoption.  The  common  grindstone 
and  muller  are,  in  this  respect,  particularly  objectionable. 
For  mixing,  or  rather  perfectly  incorporating,  colours, 
after  they  are  dry-ground,  with  oil  or  water,  and  still 
farther  refining  them,  recourse  may  be  had  to  the  mill 
for  which  Mr.  Rawlinson,  artist,  in  England,  received  a 
prize  from  the  Society  of  Arts. 


AND  VARNISHER  S  COMPANION. 


11 


RAWLINSON’S  INDIGO  GRINDING-MILL. 
Fig.  3. 


A  is  a  cylinder,  made  of  any  kind  of  marble ;  but 
black  marble  is  esteemed  the  best,  because  it  is  tbe  hard¬ 
est,  and  takes  tbe  best  polish.  B  is  a  concave  muller, 
covering  one-third  of  the  circumference  of  the  cylinder, 
and  made  of  the  same  kind  of  marble  with  it :  this  is 
fixed  in  a  wooden  frame,  b,  which  is  hung  to  the  frame 
E  at  i,  i.  c  is  a  piece  of  iron,  about  an  inch  broad,  to 
keep  the  muller  steady ;  and  is  affixed  the  frame  by 
a  joint  at  f  The  small  binding  screw  (with  it1  nut) 


12 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


which  passes  through  the  centre  of  the  iron  plate  c,  is 
foi  the  purpose  of  laying  more  pressure  on  the  muller, 
when  required,  as  well  as  to  keep  it  steady.  D  is  a 
taker-olf,  made  of  a  piece  of  clock-spring,  about  half  an 
inch  broad,  and  is  fixed,  similarly  to  a  frame-saw,  in  an 
iron  frame,  K,  in  an  inclined  position  to  the  cylinder ; 
and  the  frame  turns  on  pivots  at  d,  d.  G  is  a  sliding- 
board,  made  to  draw  out  occasionally,  in  order  to  clean 
it,  should  any  particles  of  paint  fall  upon  it  from  the 
cylinder ;  it  also  forms  a  support  for  the  dish  H,  to  catch 
the  colour  as  it  drops  from  the  taker-olf  D.  F  is  a  drawer 
for  the  purpose  of  containing  curriers’  shavings,  which 
are  the  best  things  for  cleaning  paint-mills.  E  is  the 
mill  frame. 

The  colour  being  mixed  with  oil  or  water,  and,  with 
a  spatula  or  palette-knife,  put  upon  the  cylinder  near  to 
the  top  of  the  concave  muller,  the  cylinder  is  then  turned 
round  towards  the  muller ;  which  draws  the  colour  be¬ 
neath  the  muller  without  any  difficulty ;  and  a  very  few 
turns  of  the  cylinder  spread  it  equally  over  the  surface. 
When  it  is  found  to  he  ground  sufficiently  fine  for  the 
purpose  required,  it  is  very  readily  removed  by  means 
of  the  taker-off  before  described ;  which  must  he  held 
against  the  cylinder,  and  the  cylinder  be  turned  the  re¬ 
verse  way,  which  cleans  it  very  quickly  and  completely ; 
and  the  muller  will  only  require  to  he  cleaned  when  the 
operation  is  nearly  completed  and  previous  to  changing 
the  colour.  For  this  purpose,  it  is  to  be  turned  hack, 
being,  as  before  said,  hung  upon  pivots  affixed  to  the 
•ame  at  i,  i;  and  may  then  he  very  conveniently  cleaned 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


13 


wi«  ti  a  palette-knife  or  a  spatula.  Afterwards,  a  hand¬ 
ful  of  the  curriers’  shavings  being  held  upon  the  cylinder, 
by  two  or  three  revolutions  it  is  cleaned  effectually ;  and 
there  is  much  less  waste  of  colour  with  this  machine 
than  with  any  marble  slab. 

For  the  purpose  of  clearing  the  colour  off  the  common 
grinding-stone,  as  well  as  for  keeping  it  together  should 
it  spread  too  much  during  the  grinding,  painters  some¬ 
times  employ  a  piece  of  horn,  like  that  used  for  lanterns, 
about  three  inches  by  four,  or  a  piece  of  wood  of  the 
same  dimensions,  very  thin  and  smooth,  and  made  sharp 
and  even  at  the  edge.  This  is  called  a  voider.  It  is, 
however,  more  customary  to  use  for  this  purpose  a 
palette-knife.  This  instrument  is  commonly  sold  in  the 
shops,  and  is  generally  made  of  steel,  which  ought  to  be 
highly  tempered,  extremely  thin,  and  perfectly  flexible. 
Ivory,  however,  is  a  much  preferable  material  for  the 
palette-knife,  since  some  kinds  of  yellow  assume  a  dingy, 
lark-green  hue,-  and  all  colours  which  contain  any  por¬ 
tion  of  arsenic  in  their  composition  experience  a  change 
when  touched  with  iron  or  steel. 

In  no  particular  ought  the  painter  or  varnisher,  who 
wishes  to  insure  superiority  in  the  execution  of  his  work, 
to  be  more  circumspect,  than  in  the  choice  of  his  brushes 
and  pencils. 

Brushes  are  either  round  or  flat,  and  are  of  various 
sizes.  The  round  ones  vary  from  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
to  two  inches  and  a  half  in  diameter.  For  some  par¬ 
ticular  purposes,  they  even  exceed  this  latter  size.  The 
larger  ones  are  made  use  of  in  laying  on  the  first  coat 
2 


14 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


of  paint,  or  priming,  as  it  is  called,  and  in  painting  over 
large  surfaces  which  require  considerable  quantities  of 
colour.  The  smaller  brushes  are  for  parts  to  which, 
from  their  size  or  situation,  the  large  ones  cannot  be 
applied.  Brushes  of  a  flat  form  are  usually  termed 
varnishing  brushes,  being  chiefly-  used  for  that  purpose; 
but  they  are  likewise  employed  in  drawing  lines,  vein- 
ing,  and  imitations  of  variegated  woods. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Mechanics’  Magazine  (vol.  i. 
p.  279)  makes  an  objection  to  the  use  of  round  brushes, 
which  must  be  allowed  to  have  considerable  weight. 
“  Being  made  round,”  he  says,  “  they  are  by  no  means 
well  adapted,  in  that  shape,  for  layung-on  a  flat  surface; 
the  consequence  is,  that  painters  invariably  use  their 
brushes  but  one  way,  for  the  very  purpose  of  wearing 
them  flat,  which  goes  to  prove  the  necessity  of  an  altera¬ 
tion  in  their  general  shape.”  He  then  describes  one 
which  he  made  with  a  flat  handle,  and  found  to  answei 
much  better,  for  all  common  purposes,  than  the  ordinary 
round  brush.  The  handle  was  of  beech,  about  an  inch 
and  a  half  wride  and  three-eighths  of  an  inch  thick,  and, 
near  the  end  on  which  the  hairs  were  tied,  was  bevelled 
off  to  a  thin  edge. 

Brushes  are  almost  always  made  of  hogs’  bristles. 
Sometimes  they  are  of  badger’s  or  goat’s  hair,  especially 
when  required  for  varnishing  fine  works  with  a  thin 
varnish.  In  choosing  them,  observe,  in  the  first  place, 
that  the  hairs  are 'strong;  and  next,  that  they  are  close 
together,  and  fast  bound  with  the  threads  that  tie  them 
round  in  the  stocks.  If  the  hairs  are  weak,  the  colour 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


15 


will  never  lie  in  a  good  body  ;  if  they  are  not  close  to¬ 
gether,  they  will  spread  and  divide  unequally  when 
used,  and  consequently  cannot  work  well.  But  the 
worst  fault  of  all  is,  their  not  being  fast  bound  in  the 
stocks;  for,  in  that  case,  some  of  them  will  come  out 
while  you  are  working,  and  the  appearance  of  the  work 
will  be  strangely  disfigured  by  loose  hairs  being  seen 
buried  in  the  colouring,  when  dry. 

Even  when  as  tightly  bound  together  as  possible,  the 
hairs  often  get  loose,  from  the  practice,  so  common  with 
painters,  of  keeping  their  brushes  in  water  when  out  of 
use,  by  which  the  strings  that  bind  them,  though  usually 
glued  over,  soon  become  rotten.  To  prevent  brushes 
from  being  damaged  in  this  way,  get  them  bound  in  the 
usual  way,  but  not  glued  over,  and  then  work  in  rosin 
and  grease,  which  will  resist  the  water,  and  keep  the 
brush  for  a  long  time  tight  and  sound.  When,  by  long 
use,  the  hairs  of  a  good  brush  tegin  to  work  loosely, 
drive  a  few  thin  wedges  of  wood  inside  the  thread  with 
which  they  are  bound  round,  and  this  will  render  the 
whole  fast  again. 

Pencils  differ  from  brushes  in  the  smallness  of  their 
size,  and  in  being  manufactured  of  a  much  finer  and 
softer  hair.  In  some  cases  the  hair  of  the  marten,  or 
of  children,  and  even  swansdown,  are  used  for  them  ; 
but  these  are  generally  confined  to  pencils  intended  for 
artists,  the  mechanical  painter  being  rarely  engaged  in 
work  of  such  a  delicate  nature  as  to  require  them.  Pen< 
cils  are  invariably  of  a  round  form.  The  smallest  are 
fitted  into  the  barrels  of  quills,  the  larger  sort  into  tin 


16 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


cases,  both  placed  at  the  ends  of  sticks ;  some  of  a  very 
large  size  are  fastened  into  stocks  in  the  same  manner 
as  brushes. 

In  choosing  pencils,  a  very  simple  trial  will  prove 
whether  they  are  fit  for  your  purpose.  You  have  only 
to  put  them  into  your  mouth,  and,  after  wetting  them 
a  little,  draw  them  out  between  your  tongue  and  upper 
lip  ;  then,  if  they  present  a  sharp  point,  and  the  hairs 
come  out  full  next  to  the  case,  and  without  separating, 
the  pencils  are  good ;  if  the  hairs  show  ragged,  or  are 
thin  at  the  opposite  end  to  the  point,  they  cannot  be 
depended  upon.  The  sharpness  of  the  point  is  of  par¬ 
ticular  consequence  in  small  pencils.  The  same  atten¬ 
tion  must  be  paid  to  the  hairs  being  fast  bound  in  the 
stocks  or  cases,  as  directed  in  the  choice  of  brushes. 

With  regard  to  the  stick,  or  stock,  attached  to  the 
pencil,  it  ought  never  to  be  less  than  eight  inches ;  and, 
indeed,  the  greater  the  length,  provided  the  workman 
can  handle  it  with  freedom  and  certainty,  the  better; 
for  it  is  as  impossible  for  a  painter  to  have  a  good  com¬ 
mand  of  his  pencil,  as  a  writer  of  his  pen,  if  he  hold  it 
too  near  the  point. 

To  steady  the  hand  while  using  the  pencil,  painters 
use  what  they  call  a  moll-stick.  This  is  made  of  a 
straight  piece  of  wood,  generally  mahogany,  with  a  nob 
at  one  end  of  it,  resembling  a  printer’s  puff,  but  smaller, 
composed  of  some  soft  substance  enclosed  in  leather. 
This  end  must  be  rested  lightly  on  the  work,  and  the 
other  end  being  held  in  the  left  hand,  will  render  the 
stick  a  support  to  the  right. 


AND  VARNISHER!.S  COMPANION. 


17 


When  you  are  engaged  upon  works  which  will  require 
tb )  use  of  pencils  or  small  brushes  for  a  long  time  to¬ 
gether,  it  is  customary,  instead  of  having  your  colours  in 
pots  or  pans,  to  dispose  them  in  such  quantities  as  they 
are  likely  to  be  wanted  in,  upon  a  palette.  This  is  a 
small  board,  generally  of  an  oval  form,  to  be  had  at  any 
colour-shop.  It  ought  to  be  made  of  walnut  or  apple- 
tree  wood,  and,  before  being  used,  it  should  be  well 
rubbed  over  with  drying  oil,  till  it  refuses  to  take  up 
any  more.  The  same  kind  of  palette  will  serve  for  the 
varnisher  ;  but,  for  painting  in  distemper,  it  is  necessary 
to  have  one  made  of  tin-plate. 

Spatulas,  resembling  in  appearance  the  spreading 
slices  used  by  apothecaries,  are  useful  for  preparing 
colours,  and  for  many  other  purposes.  They  should  be 
had  of  different  materials,  horn,  bone,  iron,  steel,  or 
ivory;  but  there  should  be,  at  least,  one  of  each  of  the 
last  two  kinds, — those  made  of  steel  being  sometimes 
improper,  for  the  reason  mentioned  in  speaking  of  the 
palette-knife. 

A  glass  mattrass  is  usually  recommended  for  digest¬ 
ing  varnishes,  as  its  transparency  admits  of  the  progress 
of  the  solution  being  readily  observed.  But  it  is  only 
the  experienced  manipulator  who  can  safely  employ  a 
vessel  of  this  kind ;  and  for  general  use,  one  of  tin  is 
much  better. 

A  rubier,  for  varnishing  or  polishing,  is  usually  made 
by  rolling  up  a  strip  of  thick  woollen  cloth,  which  has 
been  torn  off  so  as  to  form  a  soft,  elastic  edge ;  thick, 
wide  list  will,  however,  answer  equally  well.  The  coil 
2* 


IS 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


may  be  from  one  to  three  inches  in  diameter,  according 
to  the  size  of  the  work. 

There  are  other  articles  which  it  may  be  desirable,  or 
even  indispensable,  for  the  painter,  gilder,  or  varnisher 
to  have  among  his  apparatus,  but  which  do  not  require 
any  description  of  their  nature  or  use,  or  any  directions 
for  their  selection, — such  as  putty,*  a  putty-knife,  dust¬ 
ing-cloths,  and  brushes,  pots  and  pans  of  different  sizes, 
made  of  tin  or  earthenware,  to  hold  colours,  (when  of 
earthenware  they  should  be  glazed,)  a  large  pestle  aud 
mortar,  hair  and  silk  sieves,  square  and  rule,  compasses, 
and  black-lead  pencils. 


*  Putty  is  made  of  common  whiting,  pounded  very  fine,  and 
mixed  up  with  linseed  oil  till  it  becomes  about  the  thickness  cf 
dough. 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


If 


COLOURS. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  mention  the  principal  colouring 
substances,  with  their  combinations,  pointing  out  their 
comparative  advantages  and  disadvantages.  In  a  few 
instances,  where  the  process  is  not  tedious  or  difficult, 
or  where  there  would  be  a  risk  of  getting  them  in  a  very 
impure  state  at  the  shops,  I  shall  state  the  method  of 
preparing  them  for  use.  In  most  cases,  particularly 
since  the  general  erection  of  colour-mills,  it  will  he  found 
a  saving  both  of  time  and  expense  to  purchase  them 
ready  prepared. 


WHITES. 

White  Lead ,  Ceruse ,  and  Flake  White. 

The  white  colour  most  generally  used  in  house-painting, 
and  which  forms  the  best  priming  for  all  other  colours, 
is  a  subcarbonate  of  lead,  consisting  of  85  parts  of  pure 
lead  and  25  of  carbonic  acid.  The  more  common  sorts 
are  called  white  lead;  the  purer,  ceruse;  the  very  best, 
j lake  tohite.  The  following  is  a  simple  and  expeditious 
method  of  preparing  it. 

Take  some  long  narrow  slips  of  lead,  and  make  them 
up  into  rolls,  leaving  a  small  space  between  every  fold, 
so  that  none  of  the  surfaces  may  touch  onj  another  any- 


20 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


where ;  place  these  rolls  in  earthen  pots,  upheld  by  a 
little  bar  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  sink  down  above 
halfway  into  the  pots ;  and  in  each  of  these  vessels  put 
as  much  strong  vinegar  as  nearly  to  touch  the  lead. 
When  the  vinegar  and  the  lead  are  both  in  the  pot,  cover 
it  up  close,  and  leave  it  under  the  action  of  a  moderate 
heat,  till  the  plates  of  lead  are  reduced  to  a  complete 
cals,  which  when  dried  will  become  very  solid..  If  you 
find  that  the  process  has  not  been,  continued  long  enough, 
knock  olf  the  part  of  the  surface  of  the  lead  which  is 
calcined,  and  repeat  the  process  with  the  remainder. 

When  cakes  of  white  lead  are  purchased  ready  pre¬ 
pared,  small  particles  of  lead  in  the  metallic  state  are 
not  unfrequently  found,  owing  to  the  preparation  having 
been  imperfectly  executed;  and  in  grinding  the  colour, 
this  metallic  part,  becoming  divided  by  the  motion  of 
the  muller,  gives  a  grayish  tint  to  it.  To  avoid  this 
inconvenience,  if  you  do  not  prepare  your  white  lead 
yourseif,  be  careful  to  ascertain  as  well  as  you  can,  in 
purchasing  it,  whether  it  is  pure,  and  select  the  thinnest 
cakes,  in  grinding  it,  your  slab  and  muller  should  be 
perfectly  clean,  because  there  is  often  a  little  acid  moist¬ 
ure  in  white  lead,  which  renders  it  very  apt  to  attract 
any  parts  thar  remain  of  colours  previously  ground.  To 
obtain  white  lead  of  a  very  fine  equality,  it  is  often  neces¬ 
sary  to  grind  it  several  times. 

Not  unfrequently  this  colour  is  adulterated  with  com¬ 
mon  whiting,  and  its  beauty  by  this  means  greatly  im¬ 
paired.  To  detect  this  fraud,  rub  a  little  of  the  suspected 
article  between  the  fingers,  and  throw  it  on  a  piece  of 


AND  VARNISHEr’s  COMPANION. 


21 


live  charcoal ;  if  pure,  the  whole  of  it  will  turn  of  a  yel¬ 
lowish  hue,  and  in  a  few  minutes  take  the  form  of  bril¬ 
liant  metallic  globules;  but  if  any  whiting  has  been 
mixed  with  it,  there  will  be  a  corresponding  residue  of 
a  white  earthy  appearance. 

Spanish,  or  Bougival  White. 

A  precipitate,  formed  by  the  solutions  of  bismuth 
when  thrown  into  water,  is  what  goes,  in  commerce,  by 
the  name  of  Spanish  White,  Bougival  White,  (from 
Bougival,  near  Marly,  in  France,)  and  sometimes  White 
of  Bismuth.  It  is  generally  sold  in  cakes  of  an  oblong 
form.  It  is  much  better  for  house-painting  than  any 
whites  that  contain  a  mixture  of  chalky  substances,  and 
it  is-  not  unfrequently  used  instead  of  white  lead  for 
priming,  being  far  cheaper,  though  much  less  durable. 
When  employed  with  oil  or  varnish,  it  ought  to  be  used 
very  dry,  or  it  will  unite  but  imperfectly  with  them. 

Bolls  of  washed  chalk,  possessing  none  of  the  qualities 
that  should  belong  to  Spanish  or  Bougival  White,  are 
often  sold  under  these  names.  To  detect  this  adultera¬ 
tion,  pour  upon  the  sample  a  few  drops  of  aqua  fortis, 
or  very  strong  distilled  vinegar.  If  the  Spanish  White 
be  pure,  no  effervescence  will  take  place ;  if  any  effer¬ 
vescence  appears,  it  is  either  wholly  or  in  part  chalk. 

Gypsum,  or  Plaster  of  Paris. 

Gypsum  is  a  sulphate  of  lime,  composed  of  lime  and 
sulphuric  acid.  It  requires  to  be  calcined  before  it  is 


THE  PAINTER,  GIEDER. 


used  as  a  colouring  substance.  T\  lien  employed  in  house¬ 
painting,  it  requires  to  be  mixed  with  a  great  quantity 
of  u  ater,  and  it  then  forms  a  very  valuable  article  for 
white-washing  apartments,  and  for  painting  in  distem¬ 
per.  Its  white,  when  the  gypsum  is  quite  pure  and 
free  from  any  mixture  of  clay,  is  very  fine,  and  much 
more  delicate  than  that  of  chalk. 

White  of  Troyes,  or  White  Chalk. 

The  substance  known  by  these  names  is  an  insoluble 
compound  formed  of  carbonic  acid  and  lime.  It  is 
generally  used  for  common  white-washing,  though  gyp¬ 
sum  is  much  preferable  for  this  purpose.  In  distemper 
it  answers  very  well,  as  its  being  mixed  up  with  size 
renders  it  more  durable;  but  with  oil  and  varnishes  it 
.  becomes  brown,  and  occasions  the  latter  to  split.  Like 
all  colours  that  contain  chalk,  it  is  without  lustre. 


BLACKS. 

Ivory  Black. 

The  bones  of  all  animals,  when  reduced  to  charcoal 
or  carbon,  form  a  good  black;  but  the  best  of  all  blacks, 
whether  animal  or  vegetable,  is  that  made  from  ivory 
shavings  burnt  to  a  black  coal,  in  a  crucible  closely 
stopped  up,  and  afterwards  ground  very  fine.  It  may 
be  freed  from  every  possible  impurity  by  washing  it  in 
muriatic  acid  or  weak  aqua-fortis,  and  is  then  an  ex¬ 
tremely  'ich  and  intense  colour;  but  being  costly,  it  is 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


23 


seldom  employed  in  common  work.  The  water  colour, 
called  China  Ink,  is  merely  ivory  black  perfectly  pure, 
mixed  with  a  solution  of  isinglass  and  Spanish  liquorice, 
and  then  evaporated  to  a  proper  consistence. 

Lamp  Black. 

The  soot  collected  by  holding  a  plate  over  the  flame 
of  a  lamp  or  candle  is  the  veritable  lamp  black  ;  but  the 
more  general  way  of  obtaining  this  substance  on  a  large 
scale  is  from  the  burning  of  resinous  woods.  It  is  used 
more  than  any  other  black  in  common  painting.  It 
serves  to  modify  the  brightness  of  the  tints  of  other 
colours,  and  is  very  useful  in  the  composition  of  such 
colours  as  result  from  mixtures.  It  is  both  cheap  and 
plentiful ;  is  a  very  good  black  for  general  purposes ; 
and  of  so  fine  a  body  that,  if  tempered  only  with  linseed 
oil,  it  will  serve,  on  most  occasions,  to  work  without 
grinding.  But  as  the  substance  of  this  colour- contains 
a  kind  of  greasy  fatness,  which  makes  it  long  in  drying, 
it  is  advisable  to  mix  two  parts  of  drying  oil  with  the  lin¬ 
seed  oil,  or  to  grind  some  white  copperas  and  mix  it  with 
the  colour,  which  will  make  it  dry  in  a  short  time.  Its 
unctuosity  may  be  also  greatly  lessened,  and  its  lustre 
at  the  same  time  much  improved,  by  burning  it  in  a 
crucible  or  iron  ladle  made  red-hot  over  a  clear  fire. 

Charcoal  Blacks. 

The  best  charcoal  is  that  procured  by  subjecting 
wood,  enclosed  in  a  cast  iron  cylinder  and  wholly  ex- 


24 


THE  PAINTER,  GIEDER, 


eluded  from  the  action  of  the  air,  to  a  strong  fire  till  the 
cylinder  is  red-hot.  The  whole  of  the  gaseous  ingre¬ 
dients  being  then  disengaged,  the  fire  is  extinguished, 
and  the  charcoal  allowed  to  cool  in  the  cylinder.  The 
woods  that  furnish  the  best  charcoal  for  painters  are  the 
beech  and  vine ;  the  former  yielding  a  black  of  a  bluish, 
and  the  latter  one  of  a  grayish,  cast.  Wine  Lees,  after 
being  calcined,  washed  several  times  in  boiling  water, 
and  ground  to  a  fine  powder,  yield  a  fine  velvety  black, 
which,  however,  is  chiefly  used  by  copper-plate  printers. 
Peach  Stones,  burned  in  a  close  vessel,  yield  a  charcoal 
which,  after  being  ground,  may  be  successfully  used  for 
that  kind  of  black  generally  known  by  the  name  of  raven 
gray.  A  very  pure  charcoal  is  also  obtained  by  expos¬ 
ing  white  sugar-candy  to  a  red  heat  in  an  earthenware 
retort.  When  charcoal  obtained  from  any  of  these 
sources  is  employed  in  painting,  it  should  be  mixed 
with  a  very  small  portion  of  white  lead,  and  made  up 
for  use  with  drying  oil. 


REDS. 

Vermilion. 

The  most  delicate  and  brilliant  of  all  the  light  reds  is 
that  called  Vermilion,  obtained  from  the  red  sulphuret, 
commonly  known  by  the  name  of  cinnabar.  Although 
cinnabar  is  found  in  a  natural  state,  being  the  ore  from 
which  mercury  is  usually  extracted,  it  is,  in  general, 
prepared  artificially,  when  vermilion  is  intended  to  bo 
manufactured  out  of  it.  The  process  is  simple.  Melt 


AND  VARNISHER  S  COMPANION. 


25 


six  ounces  of  sulphur  in  an  iron  ladle ;  then  put  t\v<r 
pounds  of  mercury  into  a  chamois  leather,  or  a  double 
linen  cloth,  and  squeeze  it  thence  into  the  melted  brim¬ 
stone,  stirring  them  at  the  same  time  with  a  wooden 
spatula,  till  they  are  well  combined,  forming  a  substance 
the  same  as  the  natural  cinnabar.  When  the  mass  is 
cold,  beat  it  into  a  powder,  and  sublime  it  in  a  glass 
vessel  with  a  worm-like  top,  over  a  strong  fire,  when 
the  ascending  fumes  will  form  an  incrustration  on  the 
top  of  the  vessel,  which,  reduced  to  a  fine  powder,  is 
vermilion. 

The  body  of  vermilion  is  very  delicate,  and  will  grind 
as  fine  as  oil  itself.  No  colour  looks  better,  works 
smoother,  bears  a  better  body,  or  goes  farther. 

It  is  not  unfrequently  debased  by  a  mixture  of  red- 
lead.  To  detect  this  adulteration,  place  a  portion  of  it 
on  a  piece  of  red-hot  iron  :  if  pure,  it  will  evaporate 
entirely;  if  not,  there  will  be  an  earthy  residue. 


Minium ,  or  Red  Lead. 

This  colour  is  made  by  first  reducing  common  lead,  by 
calcining,  to  an  oxide  or  litharge,  which  being  ground  to 
powder,  is  put  into  a  hot  furnace  exposed  to  a  free  access 
of  air,  and  continually  stirred  with  an  iron  rake,  till  the 
colour  becomes  a  fine  pale  red. 

The  grinding  red  lead  to  a  proper  degree  of  fineness 
is  very  laborious  and  difficult,  it  being  naturally  very 
harsh  and  sandy.  When,  however,  it  is  well  ground 
3 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


26 

and  made  fine,  it  is  lighter  than  any  other  red  in  general 
use,  bears  a  good  body  in  oil,  and  binds  very  fast  aud 
firm.  It  has,  likewise,  the  advantage  of  drying  readily. 


Carmine. 

A  more  dazzling  red  than  vermilion  (the  superfine 
species  of  it,  called  Madame  Ccnetlc’s ,  is  almost  too  bril¬ 
liant  for  the  eye  to  endure)  is  derived  from  the  precipi¬ 
tation  of  the  colouring  matter  iu  cochineal,  by  means 
of  an  acid,  usually  alum.  Various  sorts  of  carmine  arc 
sold  at  the  colour-shops,  and  numbered  iu  the  order  of 
their  relative  value,  thus  :  No.  1  is  the  best ;  No.  2,  the 
second  best,  and  so  on.  Some  modes  of  manufacturing 
it  may  be  superior  to  others,  but  the  difference  of  quality 
arises  chiefly  from  an  excess  of  alum  employed  in  the 
precipitation,  or  from  the  intermixture  of  a  portion  of 
vermilion.  In  the  first  case,  the  colour  is  weakened ; 
in  the  second,  it  docs  not  retain  the  same  brilliancy. 
It  is  always  easy  to  detect  the  proportion  of  mixture, 
by  means  of  a  property  which  pure  carmine  possesses, 
of  dissolving  in  ammonia.  All  the  foreign  matters  re¬ 
main  untouched,  and  the  proportion  they  bear  may  be 
estimated  by  drying  the  residuum. 

The  preparation  of  this  article  is  involved  in  consider¬ 
able  mystery ;  for,  iu  consequence  of  the  great  cost  of 
the  original  material,  cochineal,  the  consumption  of  it  is 
limited,  and  the  manufacture  confined  to  a  few  hands. 
There  are  many  receipts  for  the  purpose,  in  scientific 
books,  but  success  appears  to  depend  on  a  certain  dex- 


AND  VARNISIIER  S  COMPANION. 


27 


terity,  which  habit  alone  can  confer.  One  of  the  like¬ 
liest  processes  seem  to  me  to  be  the  following : — 

Boil  one  pound  of  powdered  cochineal,  and  three  and 
a  half  drams  of  subcarbonate  of  potash,  in  ten  gallons 
of  water,  checking  the  effervescence  from  time  to  time, 
by  adding  a  little  cold  water.  When  the  mixture  has 
boiled  for  some  minutes,  take  the  boiler  off  the  fire,  and 
place  it  on  a  table  so  inclined  that  the  liquor  may  be 
easily  poured  off.  Now  throw  in  eight  drams  of  alum, 
in  powder,  and  stir  the  whole  well,  when  the  decoction 
will  instantly  assume  a  very  brilliant  tint.  In  about  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  the  cochineal,  divested  of  its  colour¬ 
ing  matter,  will  be  seen  deposited  at  the  bottom,  and  the 
liquor  as  clear  as  if  it  had  been  filtered.  Draw  off  this 
liquor  into  another  boiler,  and,  after  adding  three  and  a 
half  drams  of  isinglass  dissolved  in  water  and  passed 
through  a  sieve,  set  it  on  the  fire.  As  soon  as  it  begins 
to  boil,  the  carmine  will  be  seen  rising  to  the  surface  of 
the  bath,  and  a  coagulum  will  be  formed,  similar  to  that 
which  takes  place  in  the  clarifications  made  with  whites 
of  eggs.  The  boiler  must  then  be  withdrawn  from  the 
fire,  and  the  bath  well  stirred  with  a  spatula ;  in  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  after  which,  the  carmine  will  have 
all  fallen  to  the  bottom.  The  clear  fluid  is  then  poured 
off,  and  the  precipitate  laid  to  drain  on  a  very  fine  sieve. 
If  the  whole  of  this  process  has  been  properly  per¬ 
formed,  the  carmine,  when  dry,  will  easily  break  be¬ 
tween  the  fingers. 


£3 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Lake. 

There  are  two  sorts  of  colours  known  under  this  name 
lakes  derived  from  cochineal — the  richest  and  finest  cf 
all  dark  reds;  and  lakes  prepared  from  madder — not 
quite  so  good. 

Cochineal  lake  is  obtained  by  boiling  the  fluid  which 
remains  after  the  precipitation  of  the  carmine,  iu  the 
manner  described  under  the  preceding  head,  along  with 
potashes  and  the  deposit  which  was  left  in  the  boiler 
after  the  addition  of  the  alum.  When  all  the  heavier* 
matters  have  fallen  to  the  bottom,  the  clear  fluid  is 
drawn  off,  and  alum  again  added.  A  precipitate  is  then 
thrown  down,  which,  when  drained  and  dried,  is  cochi¬ 
neal  lake. 

Madder  lakes,  or,  as  they  are  sometimes  called,  mad¬ 
der  carmine,  are  nearly  as  costly  as  cochineal  lakes,  and 
not  so  much  inferior  as  is  generally  supposed.  They 
are  very  durable,  and  have  the  peculiar  merit  of  long 
retaining  an  appearance  of  great  freshness.  Madder 
being  itself  abundant  and  cheap,  the  costliness  of  mad¬ 
der  lakes  has  been  hitherto  entirely  owing  to  the  ex¬ 
tremely  tedious  and  complicated  methods  pursued  in  flic 
manufacturing  of  them  ;  but,  in  consequence  of  certain 
scientific  researches  recently  entered  into  by  Messrs. 
Colin  and  Roubiquet,  (see  Annales  de  Chim.,  March, 
1827,)  so  much  light  has  been  thrown  on  the  subject, 
that  the  same  results  may  now  be  obtained  in  three  or 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION 


29 


four  hours  only,  which  formerly  required  several  succes¬ 
sive  months,  and  that,  too,  in  a  very  simple  manner. 

“  The  manipulations,”  say  Messrs.  Colin  and  Ptoubi- 
quet,  “  are  so  easy  in  practice,  that  it  is  in  every  per¬ 
son’s  power  to  undertake  them;  and  in  a  little  time,  we 
have  no  doubt,  the  use  of  these  lakes  will  extend  to  the 
commonest  objects.” 

The  new  mode  consists  in  mixing  one  part  of  madder 
with  four  parts  of  water,  leaving  it  to  macerate  for  ten 
minutes  only,  and  then  submitting  it  to  a  powerful  pres¬ 
sure,  till  nearly  every  portion  of  liquid  is  squeezed  out. 
Three  times  this  process  is  repeated,  and  to  the  washing- 
liquor,  preserved  in  each  instance,  there  is  added  five  or 
six  parts  more  of  pure  water,  and  half  a  pint  of  pounded 
alum.  The  mixture  is  then  allowed  to  macerate  for  two 
or  three  hours,  in  the  heat  of  a  water-bath,  and  stirred 
occasionally  with  a  spatula.  It  is  next  strained  through 
a  fine  cloth,  and  afterwards  filtered  through  paper.  A 
dilute  solution  of  crystals  of  soda  is  finally  added,  when 
a  precipitate  is  formed,  which  is  the  colouring  matter 
wanted.  Messrs.  Colin  and  Roubiquet  recommend  that 
the  dilute  solution  of  crystals  of  soda  should  be  divided 
into  three  portions,  by  which  means  three  precipitates 
will  be  obtained,  decreasing  successively  in  colour  and 
richness. 


Spanish  Broion. 

This  is  obtained  from  an  earth  dug  out  of  the  ground : 
it  is  of  a  dark,  dull-red  colour,  something  like  horse-flesh 
The  deeper  the  colour,  and  the  freer  from  gritty  parti- 

3* 


30 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


cles,  the  better  it  is  for  use.  It  is  cheap  and  plentiful, 
and  works  well.  It  is  much  employed  by  painters,  for 
a  priming  or  first  colour. 

Other  Reds. 

Besides  the  above  reds,  I  may  mention,  among  those 
in  use  amoug  painters,  English  red  and  Prussian  red , 
both  obtained  from  oxides  of  iron,  and  commonly  called 
colcothar  of  vitriol ;  red  ochre ,  which  is  very  extensively 
employed,  especially  in  distemper  ;  rose  colour,  composed 
of  a  portion  of  white  lead  mixed  with  pure  lake;  and 
realgar,  which  is  formed  of  fifty-eight  parts  of  ar.seuic 
and  forty-two  of  sulphur. 


YELLOWS. 

Yellow  Oclire. 

Of  this  colour  there  are  two  kinds,  the  height  yellow, 
and  the  dark  yellow.  The  former  is  sometimes  called 
plain  ochre,  and  the  latter  spruce  ochre.  It  will  grind 
very  fine,  resists  the  weather  well,  and  bears  a  good 
body. 


Massicot. 

The  substance  known  under  this  name  in  commerce, 
is  produced  by  the  calcination  of  lead  iu  contact  with  the 
air ;  it  is  the  lead,  in  fact,  in  its  first  state  of  change, 
after  being  combined  with  the  oxygen  of  the  atmo¬ 
sphere;  heated  a  little  longer,  it  is  converted  into  minium, 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION. 


31 


or  red  lead;  longer  still,  into  a  brown  oxide,  which  is 
of  no  use  in  the  arts.  It  is  a  good  light-yellow  for  ge¬ 
neral  purposes,  and  very  serviceable,  when  mixed  with 
blue,  for  making  greens. 

Chrome  Yelloio. 

The  mineral  called  chrome,  discovered  by  M.  Vau- 
quelin,  in  1797,  was  so  called  from  the  peculiar  property 
it  possesses  of  colouring  whatever  it  combines  with — ■ 
chrome  signifying  colour.  Of  the  various  compound  co¬ 
lours  of  which  it  is  the  basis,  the  most  valuable  is  that 
called  chrome  yellow ,  or  chromate  of  lead,  obtained  by 
pouring  a  solution  of  chromate  of  potass  into  a  solution 
of  any  of  the  salts  of  lead.  It  is  a  very  rich  and  brilliant 
yellow,  and  employed  to  advantage  in  house  and  coach 
painting.  To  test  its  purity,  pour  a  little  nitric  acid 
upon  it :  if  it  effervesces,  it  is  adulterated. 

Turner's,  or  Patent  Yellow. 

When  sea-salt  is  made  into  a  paste  with  litharge,  it  is 
decomposed,  its  acid  unites  with  the  litharge,  and  the 
soda  is  set  free.  Hence  Turner’s  patent  process  for 
decomposing  sea-salt,  which  consists  in  mixing  two  parts 
of  the  former  with  one  of  the  latter,  moistening  them 
and  leaving  them  together  for  about  twenty -four  hours. 
The  product  is  then  washed,  filtered,  and  evaporated,  by 
which  soda  is  obtained.  A  white  substance  is  uow  left 
undissolved;  it  is  a  compound  of  muriatic  acid  and  lead, 
which,  when  heated,  changes  its  colour,  and  forms  Tar- 


82 


T1IE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


nee's  Yellow — a  very  beautiful  colour,  much  in  use  among 
coach  painters. 


Orpiment. 

This  colour  is  more  commonly  known  by  the  name  of 
yellow  arsenic.  It  is  a  compound  of  about  fifty-eight 
parts  of  arsenic,  and  forty-two  of  sulphur.  It  is  good 
for  some  purposes,  particularly  for  the  production  of 
straw-colours  in  painting  doors,  windows,  &c.;  but  as  it  is 
a  stony  substance,  the  grinding  of  it  is  a  very  difficult, 
and,  from  its  poisonous  nature,  an  injurious  operation.  It 
likewise,  in  common  with  all  bodies  that  contain  arsenic, 
produces  a  bad  effect  on  any  metallic  substances  exposed 
to  its  action. 


Naples  Yellow. 

The  best  of  all  yellows :  it  is  milder  and  more  unctuous 
than  either  orpiment,  massicot,  or  any  of  the  ochres; 
combines  readily  with  other  colours,  and  improves  them. 
Tt  is  generally  supposed  to  be  obtained  from  the  lava  of 
Mount  Vesuvius;  but  M.  dc  Bondaroy  says  (Memoirs 
of  the  French  Academy,  1766,)  that  is  a  composition 
known  at  Naples  under  the  name  of  giaUolini,  the  mode 
of  preparing  which  is  known  only  to  one  individual.  On 
afterwards  analyzing  it,  he  found  it  to  consist  of  ceruse 
alum,  sal-ammoniac,  and  diaphoretic  antimony.  It  is 
necessary  to  use  it  with  great  care.  It  must  be  ground 
well  on  a  slab  of  porphyry  or  marble,  and  scraped  to¬ 
gether  with  an  ivory  knife,  as  both  stone  and  steel  have 


AND  VARNISHED,’ S  COMPANION. 


33 


a  tendency  to  turn  it  to  green.  Sometimes  it  is  adulte¬ 
rated  by  an  intermixture  of  iron;  to  detect  this,  fuse  a 
portion  of  it  along  with  colourless  glass :  if  free  from 
iron,  it  will  become  of  a  milk-white  colour. 

Yellow  of  Antimony. 

A  yellow  obtained  from  dissolving  crude  antimony  in 
muriatic  acid,  holds  an  intermediate  place  between  chrome 
yellow  and  Naples  yellow.  It  is  chiefly  used  for  giving 
a  yellow  colour  to  glass  and  earthenware. 

Yellow  Pink. 

A  variety  of  yellow  colours  are  also  obtained  from 
vegetable  substances.  The  most  durable  of  these  is  that 
extracted  from  the  reseda  lutcola ,  a  plant  common  to  most 
European  countries.  It  grinds  and  dissolves  in  water 
easily;  but  care  must  be  taken  not  to  bring  it  in  contact 
with  iron,  as  the  astringent  principle  which  it  contains 
in  abundance,  instantly  dissolves  that  metal,  which  in 
its  turn  destroys  the  clearness  of  the  colour. 


BLUES. 

Prussian  Blue. 

A  Prussian  chemist,  when  making  experiments  on 
iron,  happened  to  pour  a  solution  of  one  of  its  salts  on  a 
solution  of  potashes,  which  had  been  kept  for  some  time 
on  animal  matter,  and  found  that  a  blue  substance  was 
formed.  Following  up  the  hint  thus  accidemly  ob- 


34 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


tained,  lie  succeeded,  after  a  number  of  experiments,  in 
discovering  a  method  of  preparing  the  valuable  colour 
called  Prussian  Blue.  The  process,  which  was  long  kept 
secret,  is  as  follows  :  Four  parts  of  bullock’s  blood, 
dried  by  the  application  of  a  slight  heat,  are  mixed  with 
an  equal  weight  of  potashes,  and  again  exposed  to  a  strong 
heat  till  the  fumes  which  are  at  first  given  off  cease  to 
appear.  The  residue  is  then  boiled  in  about  twelve 
quarts  of  water,  and  strained,  and  to  the  solution  are 
added  two  parts  of  green  vitriol  and  eight  of  alum.  A 
blue  powder  is  now  deposited,  which  is  to  be  washed  by 
muriatic  acid,  and  then  dried.  There  are  blue  colours 
superior  to  this,  both  in  clearness  and  durability ;  but 
none  which,  volume  for  volume,  contains  so  large  a  quan¬ 
tity  of  colouring  matter.  M.  Bourgeois,  a  praetical  co- 
lourman,  says  that  it  contains  even  ten  to  one  more  than 
any  other  colour.  It  is,  on  this  account,  much  employed 
in  house-painting,  and  also  in  colouring  paper-hangings 
Unfortunately,  it  is  affected  by  all  the  alkalis,  and  there¬ 
fore  is  unfit  for  mixing  with  any  colour  which  contains 
them.  When  ground  with  oil,  it  takes  a  yellowish  tint ; 
the  best  method  to  prevent  which  is  to  mix  a  little  lake. 

Indigo. 

Another  blue  colour,  much  used  in  common  painting, 
is  indigo ,  extracted  from  the  plant  indigo/era,  found 
in  America,  Egypt,  and  the  East  Indies.  None  but  the 
best  and  purest  kind  of  this  colour — that  obtained  from 
the  indigofra  argentea — is  proper  for  oil-paiuting : 


AND  VARNISILER’S  COMPANION. 


3-5 


that  of  an  inferior  quality  is  only  fit  for  distemper,  as 
the  oil  renders  it  black  or  green. 

Indigo  grinds  fine,  and  bears  a  very  good  body.  Its 
natural  colour,  however,  being  very  dark,  almost  indeed 
approaching  to  black,  it  is  seldom  or  never  used  without 
a  small  mixture  of  white.  A  preparation  from  the  leaves 
of  the  cmitto  is  sometimes  fraudulently  substituted  for 
indigo,  but  may  be  at  once  detected  by  throwing  a  piece 
into  the  fire;  as  genuine  indigo  will  not  burn. 


Ultramarine. 

Ultramarine  is  the  richest,  mellowest,  most  beautiful 
and  lasting  of  all  blues;  but  its  extravagant  price — 
nearly  equal,  when  pure,  to  its  weight  in  gold — prevents 
it  being  introduced,  unless  very  rarely  indeed,  into  house¬ 
painting.  It  is  prepared  from  lapis  lazuli.  A  number 
of  pieces  of  this  mineral  are  made  red  hot,  and  thrown 
into  water,  to  make  them  pulverize  easily;  they  are 
then  reduced  to  a  fine  powder,  and  made  up  into  a  paste 
with  a  varnish  compounded  of  resin,  wax,  and  boiled 
linseed  oil.  This  paste  is  put  into  a  linen  cloth,  and 
repeatedly  kneaded  with  hot  water.  The  first  water  is 
thrown  away;  the  second  gives  ultramarine  of  the  best 
quality;  the  third  a  colour  of  less  value.  The  best  test 
of  the  purity  of  this  article  is,  to  throw  it  into  concen¬ 
trated  nitric  acid  ;  if  adulterated,  (as  it  often  is,)  it  will 
be  scarcely  affected  by  the  acid ;  if  pure,  it  will  lose  its 
colour  almost  entirely. 


36 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Smalt,  Zaffire ,  Azure,  Saxon  Blue,  or  Enamel  Blue. 

A  compound,  known  in  commerce  by  all  these  different 
names,  and  bearing  a  strong  resemblance  to  ultramarine, 
is  obtained  by  dissolving  cobalt  in  nitric  acid,  and  pre¬ 
cipitating  it  by  a  solution  of  potash.  It  is  of  a  lovely 
azure  hue ;  but  if  not  bought  in  the  form  of  powder,  is 
very  difficult  to  grind,  and  it  can  be  used  only  in  a  pe¬ 
culiar  manner.  It  is  too  sandy  to  bear  any  body  in  oil ; 
besides,  oil  would  change  its  colour,  and  make  it  of 
a  black  cast.  The  only  proper,  indeed  the  only  practica¬ 
ble  method  of  laying  it  on,  is  by  strewing  it  on  a  ground 
of  white  lead,  which  is  done  in  the  following  manner  : 
Temper  white  lead  with  good  clear  drying  oil,  as  stiff  as 
you  can  well  use  it  with  the  pencil  or  brush  :  with  this 
white  cover  the  surface  or  the  work  you  intend  to  strew 
with  smalt,  being  sure  to  cover  it  completely  and  equally. 
Then  strew  your  smalt  thickly  over  this  white  ground, 
while  it  is  moist,  and  with  the  feather-edge  of  a  goose- 
quill  stroke  it  over,  that  it  may  lie  evenly  and  thickly 
alike  on  all  parts,  and  with  a  piece  of  linen  cloth  dab  it 
down  close,  that  it  may  take  well  upon  the  ground  laid 
under  it.  When  you  find  the  ground  quite  dry,  wipe 
off  the  loose  colour  with  a  feather,  and  blow  the  remain¬ 
der  off  with  a  pair  of  bellows.  A  portion  of  Prussian 
blue  is  frequently  mixed  up  with  the  genuine  cobalt ; 
and  Prussian  blue  has  been  even  prepared  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  be  passed  off  for  cobalt,  without  containing  a 
single  particle  of  that  ingredient.  The  property,  however, 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


37 


which  Prussian  blue  possesses,  of  being  discoloured  by 
alkalis,  furnishes  an  easy  security  against  any  imposition 
of  this  sort.  Immerse  a  piece  of  the  suspected  article 
in  clarified  lime-water  for  absut  an  hour;  if  the  water 
has  then  assumed  a  citron  hue,  and  there  is  an  ochrous 
deposit  at  the  bottom,  it  is  a  certain  proof  of  the  pre¬ 
sence  of  Prussian  blue. 

Blue  Ver (liter. 

This  is  a  beautiful  blue,  obtained  from  the  waste 
nitrate  of  copper  of  the  refiners,  by  adding  to  it  a  quan¬ 
tity  of  chalk ;  but  it  is  only  proper  for  distemper  :  it 
does  not  admit  of  being  used  with  oil,  unless  a  consider¬ 
able  mixture  of  white  is  introduced. 


GREENS. 

Verdigris. 

This  is  the  best  simple  green,  and  the  one  most  in 
use.  It  is  obtained  by  dissolving  common  verdigris  in 
distilled  vinegar  or  sour  wine,  and  then  proceeding  to 
evaporation  and  crystallization. 

It  has  a  bluish  tint;  hut  when  lightened  by  the  ad¬ 
dition  of  a  little  yellow  pink,  it  makes  a  beautiful  grass 
green.  It  grinds  very  fine,  and  works  easily,  and  in  a 
good  body. 

When  delicate  painting  is  required,  the  dross,  mixed 
with  the  common  verdigris,  makes  it  improper,  and  it 
becomes  necessary  to  use  distilled  verdigris,  which  can 

4 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


38 

be  bad  at  the  shops,  and  is  free  from  all  impurities;  but 
it  is  too  expensive  for  ordinary  purposes. 


Italian,  or  Verona  Green. 

According  to  Haiiy,  this  is  a  species  of  chloride,  (a 
combination  of  chlorine  with  a  metallic  or  other  sub¬ 
stance.)  It  is  of  the  same  colour  as  chlorine,  which  de¬ 
rives  its  name  from  the  Greek  word  chloros,  signif3Ting 
a  yellowish  green.  It  is  very  durable,  and  not  acted  on 
by  acids;  but,  being  obtained  from  an  earth,  does  not 
incorporate  well  with  oil. 

Saxon,  or  Hungary  Green. 

The  colour  which  bears  this  name  is  a  carbonate  of 
copper,  found  in  a  natural  state  in  the  mountains  of 
Saxony  and  Hungary,  mixed  with  earthy  matters, 
which  give  it  a  palish  hue. 

Schcele’s  Green. 

This  colour,  called  after  the  celebrated  chemist  by 
whom  its  composition  was  first  made  known,  is  an  arsen- 
ite  of  copper,  obtained  in  the  following  manner :  A  pound 
of  sulphate  of  copper  (blue  vitriol)  is  first  dissolved  in  four 
pints  of  water ;  then  a  pound  of  carbonate  of  potass,  dis¬ 
solved  in  eight  pints  of  water,  is  boiled  for  some  time 
with  five  ounces  of  white  arsenic ;  the  two  solutions  are 
now  mixed  while  hot,  and  a  precipitate  produced,  which, 
being  well  washed  and  dried,  is  of  a  light  sea-green  colour 


ANT)  V  ARMS  TIER,’ S  COMPANION. 


89 


It  grinds  well  with  oil,  and  is  in  much  request  for  the 
painting  of  the  cabins  of  ships. 

jSchweinfurt  Green. 

A  green,  which  has  recently  obtained  great  reputation 
on  the  Continent,  and  which  is  said  to  surpass  Scheele’s, 
both  in  beauty  and  splendour,  may  be  obtained,  accord¬ 
ing  to  Dr.  Liebig,  ( Annales  de  Chimie,')  by  the  following 
process:  Dissolve,  in  a  copper  kettle,  by  heat,  one  part 
of  verdigris  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  pure  vinegar,  and 
add  to  it  an  aqueous  solution  of  white  arsenic.  A  pre¬ 
cipitate  of  dirty  green  generally  forms ;  but  you  must 
add  more  vinegar,  and  keep  the  boiler  on  the  lire  till  that 
precipitate  disappears  and  a  perfect  amalgamation  of 
the  materials  takes  place.  After  boiling  this  compound 
for  some  time,  a  granular  precipitate  will  be  formed,  of 
a  most  beautiful  green  colour,  which  has  then  only  to 
be  separated  from  the  liquid,  well  washed,  and  dried. 
Should  the  colour  thus  prepared  have  too  blue  a  shade, 
boil  ten  pounds  of  it  in  a  solution  of  common  potash, 
over  a  moderate  fire,  and  it  will  soon  acquire  a  rich 
yellow  tint. 


Brunswick  Green. 

A  colour,  thus  named,  is  much  used  for  paper-hangings 
and  coarse  kinds  of  painting  in  water-colours.  It  is  pre¬ 
pared  as  follows:  A  close  earthenware  vessel  is  half 
filled  with  copper  filings  or  clippings,  and  a  saturated 
solution  of  sal-ammoniac  poured  over  them.  It  is  al- 


40 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


lowed  to  stand  for  a  few  weeks,  by  which  time  the  whole 
of  the  copper  becomes  osidyzed,  (a  muriate  of  copper.) 
The  oxide  being  then  well  washed,  and  slowly  dried  in 
the  shade,  is  pure  Brunswick  green.  Two  parts  of  cop¬ 
per  and  three  parts  of  sal-ammoniac  yield  six  parts  of 
green. 

Green  Verditcr. 

This  is  obtained  from  the  same  substance  as  blue  ver- 
diter,  by  a  process  nearly  similar.  Without  the  addition 
of  white  lead,  or  Spanish  white,  it  is  unfit  for  oil-paint¬ 
ing:  and,  in  any  way,  it  is  better  adapted  for  distemper. 
Its  colour  may  be  obtained  in  oil,  by  mixing  two  or 
three  parts  of  verdigris  with  one  of  white  lead. 

Green  Luke,  or  Venetian  Emerald. 

A  very  simple  mode  has  recently  been  discovered,  at 
Venice,  of  producing  a  fine  unchangeable  emerald  colour. 
A  quantity  of  coffee  is  boiled  in  river-water — if  spoiled 
coffee,  so  much  the  better.  B}r  means  of  a  proportionate 
quantity  of  pure  soda,  a  green  precipitate  is  obtained, 
which  is  placed  to  dry,  for  six  or  seven  days,  upon  po¬ 
lished  marble,  stirring  it  occasionally,  in  order  that  every 
part  may  come  in  coutact  with  the  atmosphere,  by  which 
the  vivacity  of  the  colour  is  greatly  heightened.  The 
green  lake  obtained  by  this  process  is  said  to  have  re¬ 
sisted  the  action  of  acids,  and  even  the  influence  of  light 
and  moisture. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


41 


BROWNS. 

Umber. 

Umbo”,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  brown  ocbre,  :s 
an  impure  native  oxide  of  Aon  and  manganese.  It  is 
brought  from  Umbria,  in  Italy,  whence  its  name.  It  is 
much  employed  by  painters,  and  is  the  only  simple 
brown  in  common  use.  A  species  of  it  has  been  lately 
brought  from  Cologne,  which  is  a  good  deal  browner  and 
more  transparent  than  that  in  common  use. 

The  browns  arising  from  mixture  will  be  mentioned 
in  speaking  of  compound  colours. 

New  Brown ,  discovered  by  Mr.  Hatchet. 

The  celebrated  chemist,  Mr.  Hatchet,  has  suggested 
to  painters  that  a  simple  brown  colour,  far  superior  in 
beauty  and  intensity  to  all  the  browns,  whether  simple 
or  compound,  hitherto  known,  maybe  obtained  from  the 
prussiate  of  copper,  (a  combination  of  prussic  acid  with 
copper.)  The  following  is  the  process  which  he  recom¬ 
mends  :  Dissolve  the  green  muriate  of  copper  in  about 
ten  times  its  weight  of  distilled  or  rain-water,  and  add 
a  solution  of  prussiate  of  lime,  until  a  complete  precipi¬ 
tation  is  effected.  The  precipitate  is  then  to  be  washed 
with  cold  water,  filtered,  and  set  to  dry  in  the  shade 

4* 


42 


TIIE  PAINTElt.  GIRDER, 


COMPOUND  COLOURS,  OR  COLOURS  ARISING 
FROM  MIXTURE. 

Tiie  various  colours  that  may  he  obtained  by  the  mix¬ 
ture  of  other  colours,  are  innumerable.  I  only  propose 
Here  to  give  the  best  and  simplest  modes  of  preparing 
those  most  frequently  required. 

Compound  colours,  formed  by  the  union  of  only  two 
colours,  are  called  by  painters  virgin  tints. 

The  smaller  the  number  of  colours  of  which  any  com¬ 
pound  colour  is  composed,  the  purer  and  the  richer  it 
will  be. 

Light  Gray  is  made  by  mixing  white  lead  with  lamp¬ 
black,  using  more  or  less  of  each  material,  as  you  wish 
to  obtain  a  lighter  or  a  darker  colour. 

Buff  is  made  from  yellow  ochre  and  white  lead. 

Silver,  or  Pearl  Gray. — Mix  white  lead,  indigo,  and 
a  very  slight  portion  of  black,  regulating  the  quantities 
by  the  shade  you  wish  to  obtain. 

Flaxen  Gray  is  obtained  by  a  mixture  of  white  lead 
and  Prussian  blue,  with  a  small  quantity  of  lake. 

Brick  colour. — Yellow  ochre  and  red  lead,  with  a  little 
white. 

Oalc-woocl  colour. — Three-fourths  white  lead,  and  one- 
fourth  part  umber  and  yellow  ochre  :  the  proportions  of 
the  last  two  ingredients  being  determined  by  the  re¬ 
quired  tints. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


4? 


Walnut-tree  colour. — Two-thirds  white  lead,  and  one 
third  red  ochre,  yellow  ochre,  and  umber,  mixed  accord 
ing  to  the  shade  sought.  If  veining  is  required,- use 
different  shades  of  the  same  mixture,  and,  for  the  deepest 
places,  black. 

Jonquil. — Yellow,  pink,  and  white  lead.  This  colour 
is  only  proper  for  distemper. 

Lemon  Yellow. — Realgar  and  orpiment.  Some  object 
to  this  mixture,  on  account  of  the  poisonous  nature  of 
the  ingredients.  The  same  colour  can  he  obtained  by 
mixing  yellow-pink  with  Naples  yellow;  but  it  is  then 
only  fit  for  distemper. 

Orange  colour. — Red  lead  and  yellow  ochre. 

Violet  colour. — Vermilion,  or  red  lead,  mixed  with 
black  or  blue,  and  a  small  portion  of  white.  Vermilion 
is  far  preferable  to  red  lead,  in  mixing  this  colour. 

Purple. — Dark-red  mixed  with  violet-colour. 

Carnation. — Lake  and  white. 

Gold  colour. — Massicot,  or  Naples  yellow,  with  a 
small  quantity  of  realgar,  and  a  very  little  Spanish 
white. 

Olive  colour. — This  may  he  obtained  by  various  mix¬ 
tures  :  black  and  a  little  blue,  mixed  with  yellow ;  yel¬ 
low-pink,  with  a  little  verdigris  and  lampblack ;  or  ochre 
and  a  small  quantity  of  white,  will  also  produce  a  kind 
of  olive  colour.  For  distemper,  indigo  and  yellow-pink 
mixed  with  white  lead  or  Spanish  white,  must  be  used. 
If  veined,  it  should  he  done  with  umber. 

Lead  colour. — Indigo  and  white. 

Chestnut  colour. — Red  ochre  and  black,  for  a  dark 


44 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 

chestnut.  To  make  it  lighter,  employ  a  mixture  of 
yellow  ochre. 

Light  Timber  colour. — Spruce  ochre,  white,  and  a 
little  umber. 

Flesh  colour. — Lake,  white  lead,  and  a  little  vermilion. 

Light  Willow  Green. — White  mixed  with  verdigris. 

Grass  Green. — Yellow-pink  mixed  with  verdigris. 

An  endless  variety  of  greens  can  be  obtained  by  the 
mixture  of  blue  and  yellow  in  different  proportions,  with 
the  occasional  addition  of  white  lead. 

Stone  colour. — White,  with  a  little  spruce  ochre. 

Dark  Lead  colour. — Black  and  white,  with  a  little 
indigo. 

Fawn  colour. — White  lead,  stone  ochre,  and  a  little 
vermilion. 

Chocolate  colour. — Lampblack  and  Spanish  brown. 
On  account  of  the  fatness  of  the  lampblack,  mix  some 
litharge  and  red  lead. 

Portland  Stone  colour. — Umber,  yellow  ochre,  and 
white  lead. 

The  variety  of  shades  of  brown  that  may  be  obtained, 
are  nearly  as  numerous  as  those  of  green. 

To  imitate  Mahogany . — Let  the  first  coat  of  painting 
be  white  lead,  the  second  orange,  and  the  last  burned 
umber  or  sienna  •,  imitating  the  veins  according  to  your 
taste  and  practice.  • 

To  imitate  Wainscot. — Let  the  first  coat  be  white,  the 
second  half  white  and  half  yellow  ochre,  and  the  third 
yellow  ochre  only.  Shadow  with  umber  or  sienna. 

To  imitate  Satin  11  ood. — Take  white  for  your  first 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


45 


coating,  light  blue  for  the  second,  and  dark  blue  or 
dark  green  for  the  third. 

OILS. 

We  come,  next,  to  speak  of  the  principal  oils  which  are 
used  in  the  preparation  both  of  colours  and  varnishes. 

Oil  of  Spike  was  formerly  much  more  in  use  than  it 
is  at  present.  It  is  a  volatile  oil,  and  has  the  advantage 
of  drying  more  speedily  than  any  of  the  fat  oils ;  it  is 
also  free  from  any  offensive  odour.  It  is,  however, 
generally  in  a  very  impure  state ;  and  of  this  painters 
are  so  thoroughly  convinced,  that  they  have  pretty  gene¬ 
rally  renounced  it.  In  all  preparations  for  varnishes, 
where  it  is  directed  to  be  employed,  oil  of  turpentine, 
which  is  much  cheaper,  can  be  substituted  without  any 
other  inconvenience  than  what  may  arise  from  its 
stronger  smell. 

Oil  of  Lavender  is  principally  used  by  enamellers,  to 
whom  it  is  particularly  valuable,  from  its  consistency 
being  such  as  to  prevent  the  colours  that  are  mixed  with 
it  from  running.  Its  property  of  drying  more  equally 
and  gradually  than  perhaps  any  other  oil,  renders  it  also 
of  service  to  the  varnisher. 

Oil  of  Poppies  has  one  advantage  possessed  by  no 
other — that  of  being  perfectly  colourless  For  this  rea¬ 
son,  a  decided  preference  is  given  to  it  for  delicate  kinds 
of  painting.  Being,  however,  extremely  fat,  it  is  liable, 
unless  very  old,  to  the  objection  of  being  insufferably 
tedious  in  drying. 


46 


TIIE  rAINTER,  GILDER, 


Nut  Oil  and  Linseed  Oil,  both  in  very  general  use, 
rank  among  the  fat  oils.  Their  fatness,  indeed,  is  so 
great,  that  it  is  mostly  found  necessary,  before  employ¬ 
ing  them  in  colouring,  to  give  them  a  drying  equality, 
which  may  be  done  in  the  following  manner : — Take 
three  parts  of  white  vitriol,  and  twelve  parts  of  litharge, 
and  let  them  be  reduced  to  as  fine  a  powder  as  possible  ; 
then  mis  them  with  thirty-two  parts  of  nut  or  linseed 
oil,  and  place  the  mixture  over  a  fire  just  brisk  enough 
to  keep  the  oil  slightly  boiling.  Let  it  continue  to  boil, 
till  the  oil  entirely  ceases  to  throw  uj>  any  scum.  Then 
take  the  vessel  off  the  fire,  and  let  it  stand  in  a  cool 
place  for  about  three  hours,  and  a  sediment,  which  con¬ 
tains  the  fattening  part  of  the  oil,  will  be  formed  at  the 
bottom.  Pour  off  the  oil  which  is  above  (being  careful 
not  to  let  any  of  the  sediment  mix  with  it)  into  wide¬ 
mouthed  bottles.  Let  it  remain  a  sufficient  time  to  clear 
itself  perfectly,  before  it  is  used,  and  you  will  find  it 
possessed  of  the  proper  drying  quality. 

Sometimes,  when  the  fire  is  not  kept  pretty  equal 
while  the  boiling  is  going  on,  the  colour  of  the  oil  is 
affected,  so  as  to  render  it  unfit  for  delicate  painting. 
To  avoid  this,  some  persons  tie  up  the  litharge  and 
vitriol,  when  powdered,  in  a  bag )  but,  in  this  case,  the 
quantity  of  litharge  must  be  doubled.  The  bag  must 
also  be  suspended  by  a  piece  of  packthread  to  a  stick 
made  to  rest  upon  the  edges  of  the  vessel,  so  as  to  keep 
the  bag  at  the  distance  of  an  inch  from  the  bottom. 
This  method,  too,  is  slower  than  that  of  boiling  the  dry¬ 
ing  material  along  with  the  oil. 


AND  VARNISIIER  S  COM  PANION. 


4 


In  some  kinds  of  work,  such  as  the  preparation  of 
floor-cloths,  and  painting  large  figures  or  ornaments,  in 
which  clayey  colours  are  employed,  an  extraordinary 
rapidity  in  drying  is  sometimes  necessary,  which  could 
not  be  procured  by  using  the  proportions  of  drying  ma¬ 
terials  above  mentioned.  In  such  cases,  it  is  customary 
to  increase  the  quantity  of  litharge  in  any  proportion 
that  may  be  requisite.  On  some  occasions,  the  litharge 
employed  has  amounted  to  one-fourth  part  of  the  whole 
quantity  of  oil. 

The  process  used  for  giving  a  drying  quality  to  nut 
and  linseed  oil  will  not  do  for  oil  of  poppies,  which  would 
thereby  be  deprived  of  its  colourless  property,  the  most 
valuable  one  which  it  possesses. 

Many  painters  consider  it  a  matter  of  indifference 
whether  nut  or  linseed  oil  be  employed  in  colouring,  and 
therefore,  for  the  sake  of  cheapness,  give  the  preference 
to  the  latter.  But  they  labour  under  a  mistake;  for  these 
two  oils  should,  by  no  means,  be  used  indiscriminately. 
In  painting  which  is  allowed  to  be  coarse,  or  which  is 
sheltered  from  the  effects  of  the  rain  and  sun,  linseed  oil 
will  answer  the  purpose.  But  where  any  nicety  is  re¬ 
quired  in  colouring,  in  situations  exposed  to  the  weather, 
nut  oil  only  is  proper,  as  it  nourishes  and  develops  the 
colour;  whereas  linseed  oil  dissipates  and  destroys  it,  and 
obliges  the  work  to  be  done  afresh  in  a  short  time.  In 
painting  exposed  to  weather,  persons  aware  of  the  im 
propriety  of  using  linseed  oil,  are  sometimes  induced  to 
mix  a  portion  of  oil  of  turpentine  with  nut  oil,  to  save 
cost;  but  this  mixture  has  almost  as  injurious  an  effect 


48  THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 

in  whitening  colour  which  is  exposed  to  the  sun,  as  pure 
linseed  oil. 

I  have  before  said  that  linseed  oil  will  serve  for  paint¬ 
ing  that  is  not  exposed  to  the  rain  and  sun.  This  is  not, 
however,  the  case  when  a  pure  white  is  wanted,  for  lin¬ 
seed  oil  has  the  elfect  of  turning  the  white  lead  yellow, 
and  nut  oil  should  therefore  be  employed.  If  that  is 
considered  too  expensive,  one  part  of  turpentine,  at  least, 
ought  to  be  mixed  with  two  parts  of  linseed  oil. 

Oil  of  Turpentine  is  more  used  than  any  of  the  pre¬ 
ceding  oils ;  the  varnisher,  indeed,  scarcely  employs  any 
other.  There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  quality.  The 
inferior  kinds,  though  they  may  serve  for  mixing  coarse 
and  common  colours,  can  never  be  used  with  good  effect 
in  varnish.  The  best  description  is  that  which  is  the 
lightest  and  least  coloured.  A  simple  method  of  trying 
its  degree  of  goodness  is  with  the  best  spirits  of  wine, 
which  will  take  up  about  one-third  part  of  the  weight 
of  the  inferior  sort  of  oil,  and  only  about  a  seventh  or 
eighth  part  of  the  best  kinds. 

Fat  oils  are  often  mixed  with  the  oil  of  turpentine, 
as  well  as  with  other  volatile  oils — a  mixture  particularly 
hurtful  in  the  case  of  varnishes.  There  is  a  remarkable 
distinction,  however,  between  the  two,  by  which  such 
adulterations  may  be  always  readily  detected.  Both 
sorts  of  oil  stain  paper, — but  a  stain  from  a  volatile  oil 
may  be  easily  removed  by  heat,  while  one  from  fixed  oils 
remains  almost  indelible.  Thus,  if  a  drop  of  common 
oil  be  thrown  on  paper,  and  held  near  a  fire,  a  part  flies 
off;  but,  before  the  whole  of  it  can  be  dissipated,  the 


AND  VARNISHER  S  COMPANION. 


49 


f  aper  is  destroyed.  If,  on  the  contrary,  a  few  drops  of 
turpentine  (or  any  other  volatile  oil)  he  thrown  on  paper 
and  treated  in  the  same  way,  the  stain  disappears  with¬ 
out  the  texture  of  the  paper  being  in  the  smallest  degree 
injured.  And  if  paper  he  stained  with  an  oil  com¬ 
pounded  partly  of  a  volatile  and  partly  of  a  fat  oil,  that 
portion  only  which  is  volatile  will  evaporate  on  exposure 
to  heat,  while  the  other  will  remain. 

It  is  owing  to  the  property  just  mentioned,  that  vola¬ 
tile  oils  are  sometimes  employed  to  make  transparent 
paper  for  copying  drawings. 

For  this  purpose,  the  paper  is  besmeared  with  pure 
volatile  oil  of  turpentine,  and  dried  for  a  short  time,  by 
exposure  to  air;  it  is  then  put  on  the  drawing,  the  traces 
of  which  are  distinctly  seen  through  it.  After  taking 
off  the  copy  by  a  pencil,  the  oil  is  easily  expelled  by 
holding  the  paper  near  the  fire. 

Drying  Oils,  which  are  composed  of  particular  sub¬ 
stances  mixed  with  some  of  the  oils  before  mentioned, 
are  useful  for  several  purposes.  They  are  most  valuable 
when  so  manufactured  as  to  be  colourless.  They  are  «. 
much  used  in  preparing  varnishes;  and,  in  oil  painting, 
are  not  unfrequently  employed  as  a  varnish,  either  alone 
or  diluted  with  a  little  oil  of  turpentine.  Drying  oil  is 
easily  procured  at  the  shops;  but,  if  you  wish  to  make 
it  yourself,  one  of  the  best  methods  is  to  take  a  pound  of 
nut  or  linseed  oil,  (according  as  it  is  intended  for  inside 
or  outside  work,)  to  which  a  drying  quality  has  been 
given  by  the  method  before  mentioned;  dissolve  in  it 
five  ounces  of  rosin  by  means  of  a  gentle  heat ;  when 
6 


50 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


this  is  done,  add  to  it  rather  more  than  half  an  ounce  of 
turpentine  :  let  the  composition  rest  till  a  sediment  is 
formed  and  is  quite  cool ;  then  pour  it,  free  from  any 
part  of  the  sediment,  into  proper  vessels,  and  make  use 
of  it  while  fresh.  If  at  any  time  it  should  become  too 
thick,  you  may  dilute  it  with  a  little  oil  of  turpentine. 

Some  painters  of  ornaments,  and  coach  painters,  in¬ 
stead  of  using  drying  oils,  content  themselves  with  add¬ 
ing  white  vitriol  in  mixing  their  colours.  This  method 
is  bad ;  the  salt  of  the  vitriol  will  not  unite  with  the 
oil,  and  the  painting,  in  consequence,  becomes  mealy, 
and  sometimes  cracks. 

When  drying  oil  is  colourless,  it  is  of  great  use  to 
painters  of  pictures,  by  whom,  as  well  as  by  the  house 
painter,  it  is  not  unfrequently  used  as  varnish,  either  in 
a  pure  or  dilute  state. 

It  has  been  recently  discovered,  that  when  a  solution 
of  yellow  soap  is  added  to  red,  yellow,  and  black  paints, 
when  ground  in  oil,  before  they  are  cashed  up,  they 
acquire  no  improper  hardness,  and  dry  remarkably  fast 
when  laid  on  with  the  brush,  without  having  recourse 
to  any  of  the  usual  drying  expedients. 

Pilchard  Oil,  which  possesses  more  greasy  matter  than 
any  other  fish  oil,  has  been  used  in  Cornwall  for  the  last 
fifty  years,  to  great  advantage,  in  coarse  painting.  The 
preparation  is  said,  by  a  correspondent  in  the  Mechanics’ 
Magazine,  (vol.  vi.,  page  471,)  to  be  made  in  the  fol¬ 
lowing  manner :  Put  the  oil  into  a  clean  iron  pot,  and 
place  it  over  a  slow  fire,  (wood  is  best,)  to  prevent  it 
from  burning;  when  it  begins  to  heat,  skim  ii  well  •  let 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION.  51 

it  remain  on  the  fire  till  it  singes  a  feather  put  therein. 
For  every  gallon  of  oil,  add  a  small  table-spoonful  of  red 
litharge.  Stir  them  together  well  for  about  three 
minutes;  then  take  the  pot  off  the  fire,  and  let  the  mix¬ 
ture  cool  in  the  open  air,  after  which  it  is  fit  for  use. 
It  is  said  to  dry  quickly,  to  incorporate  well  with  any 
coloured  paint  on  wood  or  iron,  to  have  all  the  appear¬ 
ance  of  varnish,  and  to  be  extremely  durable. 

VARNISHES. 

Strictly  speaking,  every  substance,  whether  dry  or 
liquid,  is  a  varnish,  which,  being  spread  over  any  body, 
has  the  effect  of  giving  its  surface  a  brilliant  appearance. 
But,  in  its  general  meaning,  the  term  is  only  applied  to 
those  substances  that  are  capable  of  rendering  this  effect 
durable. 

The  foundation  of  all  varnishes  are  gummy  and  resin¬ 
ous  substances ;  and  the  only  liquids  that  can  be  com¬ 
bined  with  them,  so  as  to  form  varnishes,  are  oils  and 
spirit  of  wine. 

For  a  varnish  to  be  really  good,  it  ought  to  be  limpid, 
brilliant,  transparent,  and  durable.  The  durability  of  a 
varnish  is  its  greatest  and  rarest  excellence. 

The  principal  gums  and  resins  used  for  varnishes  are 
gum  Arabic,  gum  elastic,  gum  anima,  copal,  dragon’s 
blood,  stick-lac,  shell-lac,  and  mastic.  The  solvents 
chiefly  employed  are  spirits  of  wine  and  spirits  of  tur- 
jy  otine. 

In  choosing  gums  and  resins,  those  are  to  be  preferred 


52 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


which  are  quite  free  from  particles  of  dirt,  and  of  which 
the  lumps,  when  held  up  to  the  light,  present  a  clear  and 
transparent  appearance. 

What  is  often  sold  at  the  shops  as  gum  Arabic — the 
best  of  all  the  gums— is  frequently  only  the  clearer 
pieces  of  the  gum  Senegal,  which,  though  equally  strong 
and  substantial,  is  far  from  being  so  pure  as  gum  Arabici 
The  imposition  may  be  detected  by  observing  one  very 
obvious  distinction.  The  genuine  gum  Arabic  is  always 
in  small  irregular  masses,  smooth  on  the  outside ;  the 
pieces  of  the  gum  Senegal  are  invariably  larger,  and 
rough  on  the  outside. 

A  composition  of  different  resins,  coloured  with  brick- 
dust  or  Brazil-wood,  or  a  very  small  portion  of  real  dra¬ 
gon’s  blood,  is  not  unfrequently  sold  as  genuine.  It  is 
of  a  dull  red  or  brick  colour,  whereas  real  dragon’s  blood 
is  a  dark  red,  and  almost  brown  colour  on  the  outside. 
The  latter,  too,  is  inflammable^  while  the  imitation, 
when  put  into  the  fire,  does  not  inflame,  but  swells  up. 

The  liquid  commonly  sold  under  the  name  of  spirits 
of  wine  is  in  general  a  highly-rectified  spirit,  interme¬ 
diate  between  proof  spirit  and  alcohol,  but  not  suffi¬ 
ciently  concentrated  for  the  purpose  of  making  varnish. 
The  readiest  practicable  method  of  determining  whether 
the  alcohol  will  answer  your  purpose,  is  to  fill  a  large 
phial  with  it,  and  then  to  drop  into  it  a  small  lump  of 
potash  or  pearlash,  which  has  been  heated  very  hot  over 
the  fire,  to  expel  its  moisture,  and  not  afterwards  suf¬ 
fered  to  become  cold :  the  phial  is  then  to  be  well 
shaken,  and  if  the  lump  remain  dry,  or  nearly  so,  the 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


53 


alcohol  is  good ;  if  any  considerable  portion  of  it  remain 
undissolved,  it  is  unfit  for  use. 

Spirits  of  turpentine  are  always  good  in  proportion  to 
their  inflammability — that  which  burns  most  readily 
being  the  best.  The  smell,  too,  of  the  inferior  hind 
is  in  ore  unpleasant  and  less  powerful  than  that  of  the 
better  sort.  • 

AVhen  doubts  are  entertained  as  to  its  purity,  pour 
about  two  table-spoonfuls  into  a  saucer,  and  place  it  to 
evaporate  in  the  sun,  which  it  ought  to  do  entirely  in  the 
course  of  two  or  three  hours ;  if  a  greasy  residuum  or  a 
soft,  sticky  mucus  is  left,  it  is  a  proof  that  the  turpentine 
is  adulterated,  and  ought  to  be  rejected. 

Another  method  of  judging  of  the  comparative  good¬ 
ness  of  different  sorts  both  of  spirits  of  wine  and  spirits 
of  turpentine,  is  by  weighing  quantities  of  two  kinds, 
equal  in  measure,  one  against  the  other :  the  lightest  is 
always  the  hest. 

The  number  of  different  varnishes  to  be  obtained  by 
various  methods  of  mixing  together  the  substances  from 
which  they  can  be  manufactured,  is  endless,  and  it  would 
be  altogether  from  the  purpose  and  nature  of  this  little 
work  to  attempt  any  thing  like  a  description  of  them. 
Many  of  them,  indeed,  are  only  useful  to  the  artist,  and 
are  therefore  not  entitled  to  a  place  here ;  while  others  are 
merely  proofs  of  the  ingenuity  of  chemical  students,  and, 
from  the  expense  or  sacrifice  of  time  attending  their  pre¬ 
paration,  are  not  adapted  for  practical  purposes.  Almost 
every  varnisher,  too,  has  at  least  one  or  two  composi¬ 
tions  peculiar  to  himself,  the  superior  value  of  which 

5* 


51 


THE  PAINTJE.lt,  GILJL)EU 


rests  chiefly  in  his  own  opinion.  In  large  towns  and 
cities,  moreover,  the  varnishes  in  common  use  can  easily 
be  purchased  ready  made ;  but  for  the  benefit  of  those 
who  may  not  have  this  convenience,  or  who  prefer  pre¬ 
paring  their  own  varnishes,  I  shall  here  add  a  few  simple 
recipes,  from  modern  and  approved  sources,  for  making 
those  thart  are  in  the  most  general  use. 


Shcll4uc  Varnish. 

The  best  of  the  common  spirit  varnishes  is  that  made 
with  shell-lac.  Hitherto  the  use  of  it  has  been  limited,  in 
consequence  of  its  possessing  a  brown-yellowish  colour, 
which  made  it  unfit  for  all  articles  which  that  tint  would 
injure  ;  but  Professor  Hare,  of  Philadelphia,  has  made 
the  arts  a  valuable  present  of  the  following  method  of 
producing  it  perfectly  colourless :  Dissolve,  in  an  iron 
kettle,  one  part  of  pearlash  in  about  eight  parts  of  water; 
add  one  part  of  shell-lac,  and  heat  the  whole  to  ebullition. 
When  the  lac  is  dissolved,  cool  the  solution,  and  impreg¬ 
nate  it  with  chlorine  till  the  lac  is  all  precipitated.  The 
precipitate  is  white,  but  its  colour  deepens  by  washing 
and  consolidation ;  dissolved  in  alcohol,  lac  bleached  by 
the  above  process  yields  a  varnish  which  is  as  free  from 
colour  as  any  copal  varnish.  Chlorine  (oxy-muriatic 
acid)  may  be  formed  by  mixing  intimately  eight  parts 
of  common  salt  and  three  of  the  black  oxide  of  manga¬ 
nese  in  powder:  put  this  mixture  into  a  retort;  then 
pour  four  parts  of  sulphuric  acid,  diluted  with  an  equal 
weight  of  water  and  afterwards  allowed  to  cool,  upon 


AND  VARNISIIEll’s  COMPANION.  55 

the  salt  and  manganese ;  the  gas  will  then  be  immediately 
liberated,  and  the  operation  may  be  quickened  by  a  mo¬ 
derate  heat.  A  tube  leading  from  the  mouth  of  the 
retort  must  be  passed  into  the  resinous  solution,  when 
the  gas  will  be  absorbed,  and  the  lac  precipitated. 

It  is  to  be  presumed  that,  now  that  shell-lac  varnish 
is  thus  rendered  universally  applicable,  it  will  be  the 
most  used  of  any;  as  it  possesses  all  the  properties  of  a 
good  spirit  varnish  in  a  higher  degree  than  any  of  the 
other  resins,  and  costs  at  the  same  time  much  less. 

Shell-lac  Varnish  of  various  colours  may  be  made  by 
using  any  colour  in  fine  powder  with  the  varnish,  in  the 
following  manner  :  Rub  up  the  colour  with  a  little  alco- 
diol,  or  spirits  of  turpentine,  till  it  becomes  perfectly 
smooth;  then  put  it  into  the  cup  with  the  varnish. 

♦ 

Red  Shell-lac  Varnish 

Is  best  made  from  good  Dutch  sealing-wax  (which  is 
itself  chiefly  composed  of  seed  lac).  This  is  the  lac  usea 
to  varnish  glass  or  wood  for  electrical  purposes.  Three 
or  four  coats  will  make  a  perfect  covering. 

Turpentine  Varnish. 

Take  five  pounds  of  clear  good  rosin,  pound  it  well, 
and  put  it  into  a  gallon  of  oil  of  turpentine;  boil  the 
mixture  over  a  stove,  till  the  rosin  is  perfectly  dissolved ; 
and  when  cool,  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 


50 


TIIE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Linseed  Oil  Varnish. 

Boil  any  quantity  of  linseed  oil  for  an  Lour,  and  to 
every  pound  of  oil  add  four  ounces  of  good  clear  rosin, 
well  powdered ;  keep  stirring  it  till  the  rosin  is  per¬ 
fectly  dissolved,  and  when  this  is  done,  add  one  ounce  of 
spirits  of  turpentine  for  every  pound  of  oil,  and  when 
strained  and  cool,  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

This  varnish  is  much  used  for  common  purposes.  It 
is  cheap,  is  a  good  preservative  of  wood,  and  not  liable 
to  sustain  injury  from  the  application  of  hot  water. 

Copal  Varnish. 

Take  one  ounce  of  copal  and  half  an  ounce  of  shell- 
lac;  powder  them  well,  and  put  them  into  a  bottle  or 
jar  containing  a  quart  of  spirits  of  wine.  Place  the 
mixture  in  a  warm  place,  and  shake  it  occasionally,  till 
you  perceive  that  the  gums  arc  completely  dissolved; 
and  when  strained,  the  varnish  will  be  fit  for  use. 

I  have  given  the  above  as  the  simplest,  and  therefore 
the  most  usual  method  of  making  common  copal  varnish; 
but  it  may  be  prepared  in  a  variety  of  ways,  where  par¬ 
ticular  uses  may  be  required. 

Gold-coloured  Copal  Varnish. 

Take  oue  ounce  of  powdered  copal,  two  ounces  of 
essential  oil  of  lavender,  and  six  ounces  of  essence  of 
turpentine.  Put  the  oil  of  lavender  into  a  matras  of  a 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  57 

proper  size,  placed  on  a  sand-bath  subjected  to  a  mode¬ 
rate  heat.  When  the  oil  is  very  warm,  add  the  copal 
from  time  to  time,  in  very  small  quantities,  and  stir  the 
mixture  with  a  stick  of  white  wood,  rounded  at  the  end. 
When  the  copal  has  entirely  disappeared,  put  in  the 
turpentine  in  almost  a  boiling  state,  at  three  different 
times,  and  keep  continually  stirring  the  mixture  till  the 
solution  is  quite  completed. 

When  this  varnish  is  required  to  be  colourless,  as  is 
frequently  the  case,  it  will  be  necessary  to  use  the  rec¬ 
tified  spirit  of  turpentine — the  common  essence  sold  at 
the  shops  being  generally  high-coloured 

Camphorated  Copal  Varnish. 

Take  copal  in  powder,  four  ounces;  essential  oil  of 
lavender,  twelve  ounces ;  camphor,  a  quarter  of  an  ounce, 
and  as  much  spirit  of  turpentine  as  will  give  the  varnish 
the  consistency  required.  Heat  the  oil  and  the  camphor 
in  a  small  matras,  stirring  them,  and  putting  in  the 
copal  and  turpentine  in  the  manner  directed  in  the 
preceding  varnish. 

This  varnish  is  particularly  well  adapted  for  articles 
which  require  transparency  and  pliability,  united  to  great 
durability,  such  as  the  varnished  wire-gauze  used  in 
ships  instead  of  glass. 

Copal  Varnish  in  Imitation  of  Tortoise-Shell. 

Take  of  amber-coloured  copal,  six  ounces  ;  of  shell-la«, 
or  Venice  turpentine,  an  ounce  and  a  half;  twenty- four 


58 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


ounces  of  clear  linseed  oil,  and  sis  ounces  of  essence  ji 
turpentine.  Place  the  copal  in  a  matras,  and  expose  it 
to  a  moderate  heat  till  it  is  liquefied ;  then  add  the  linseed 
oil  in  a  boiling  state,  afterwards  the  shell-lac  or  Venice 
turpentine,  also  liquefied,  and  lastly  the  spirit  of  turpen¬ 
tine  in  small  portions.  If  the  varnish  prove  too  thick, 
dilute  it  with  spirit  of  turpentine. 

This  varnish  is  principally  used  for  watch-cases,  though 
it  is  also  applied  to  other  imitations  of  tortoise-shell. 

All  the  above  methods,  however,  of  preparing  copal 
require  long  boiliug  and  careful  filtering  in  the  prepara¬ 
tion,  and  consequently  are  not  so  convenient  as  the  pro¬ 
cess  first  mentioned:  they  are  therefore  seldom  used, 
unless  where  the  nature  of  the  substance  to  be  varnished 
-enders  oil  of  turpentine  decidedly  preferable  to  spirits 
jf  wine. 

An  excellent  copal  varnish  may  be  made  by  putting 
an  ounce  of  copal  of  an  amber  colour,  finely  powdered, 
into  a  flask  containing  four  ounces  of  ether ;  corking  the 
mixture  with  a  glass  stopper,  and  shaking  it  for  half  an 
hour;  then  allowing  it  to  rest  till  the  liquor  becomes 
perfectly  clear. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  the  great  volatility  of  ether  and 
its  very  high  price  do  not  allow  the  use  of  this  varnish 
for  common  purposes.  Indeed,  its  employment  is  almost 
confined  to  repairing  accidents  in  enamel,  and  restoring 
the  smooth  surface  of  paintings  that  have  been  cracked 
or  shattered.  It  has  some  admirable  properties,  wdiich 
belong  to  no  other  varnish  in  existence.  It  presents 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


59 


great  resistance  to  the  friction  of  hard  bodies,  possesses 
remarkable  solidity,  has  a  peculiar  drying  quality/  and 
a  very  fragrant  smell. 

Copal,  and  other  varnishes,  prepared  with  essence  of 
turpentine,  will  not  admit  of  being  applied  to  purely 
white  grounds,  unless  the  turpentine  has  been  highly 
rectified;  and  even  then  it  is  not  unattended  with  risk. 
For  coloured  grounds,  which  require  solidity,  they  are 
excellent. 

The  varnishes  prepared  with  copal  are  some  of  the 
most  useful  and  valuable  known,  and  their  composition 
has  been  much  improved  of  late  years.  They  are  rich, 
splendid,  and  solid,  hear  friction  well,  and  are  of  great 
service  in  preserving  articles  exposed  to  damp  or  rain. 
Mathematical  and  philosophical  instruments  are  gene¬ 
rally  varnished  with  them. 

Amber  Varnish.. 

Put  eight  ounces  of  amber,  finely  powdered,  into  a 
vessel  containing  half  a  pint  of  the  best  spirits  of  tur¬ 
pentine  ;  (if  for  very  fine  purposes,  rectified  spirits  of 
turpentine  should  be  used;)  place  the  vessel  over  a 
stove  or  fire  till  the  amber  is  quite  melted;  then  put 
it  into  two  ounces  of  shelldac  powdered,  and  place  it  on 
the  fire  again;  keep  stirring  it  till  the  gum  is  completely 
dissolved,  and  then  add  to  the  whole  an  ounce  of  clear 
cold-drawn  linseed  oil.  Stir  it  well  together,  and  when 
strained,  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

Like  copal  varnish,  this  varnish  may  likewise  be  pre- 


60 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


pared  in  various  ways ;  but  the  one  here  given  is  the 
cheapest  and  readiest,  and  the  other  methods  of  making 
it  do  not  in  any  case  possess  advantages  over  this. 
Some  varnishers  prefer  using  more  spirits  of  turpentine 
and  a  smaller  proportion  of  linseed  oil. 

Some  years  since,  amber  varnish  was  in  very  general 
use;  but  of  late,  copal,  on  account  of  its  being  less 
coloured,  has  obtained  a  preference. 

Caoutchouc ,  or  Gum-clastic  Varnish. 

Take  eight  ounces  of  gum-elastic,  pound  it  well,  and 
put  it  upon  the  fire,  in  a  vessel  containing  half  a  pound 
of  boiling  linseed  oil.  When  the  gum  is  dissolved,  add 
half  a  pound  of  spirits  of  turpentine.  Let  them  continue 
boiling  together  till  the  mixture  becomes  clear;  and 
when  it  is  cool,  strain  it  for  use. 

This  varnish  is  brilliant  and  durable ;  but  it  has  the 
fault  of  drying  very  slowly,  for  which  reason  it  is  not 
employed. 


Mastic  Varnish. 

This  varnish,  which  is  used  principally  for  pictures  in 
oil,  is  usually  prepared  by  dissolving  the  mastic  in  spirits 
of  turpentine,  by  means  of  a  sand-bath,  then  straining  it 
through  a  fine  sieve,  and  afterwards  placing  it,  for  two 
or  three  weeks,  in  a  bottle  well  corked,  where  the  light 
of  the  sun  may  act  freely  upon  it,  which  causes  a  large 
precipitation  of  mucilaginous  matter,  aud  leaves  the  var¬ 
nish  as  clear  as  water.  But  to  procure  a  mastic  varnish 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


61 


that  can  be  perfectly  depended  upon,  the  following  ob¬ 
servations  must  be  attended  to :  Let  all  the  mastic  be 
bruised  by  a  muller  on  a  grinding-stone ;  this  will  sepa¬ 
rate  the  soft  or  oily  tears,  as  they  are  called,  and  enable 
you  to  throw  them  aside  :  whereas,  if  the  mastic  is  put  in 
a  mass  into  the  turpentine,  the  tears  remain  imbodied 
with  it,  and  prevent  the  varnish  from  drying  hard,  leaving 
a  greasy  or  tacky  surface.  The  next  point  of  importance 
is  to  make  use  only  of  turpentine  which  has  been  twice 
distilled,  or  which  is  at  all  events  quite  clear  and  colour¬ 
less  :  you  must  take  care  not  to  have  it  served  to  you 
through  an  oily  measure,  (as  is  too  often  the  case,)  but 
poured  out  of  the  carboy  without  being  shaken  or  dis¬ 
turbed.  When  the  mastic  and  turpentine  are  thus  ob¬ 
tained  perfectly  pure,  they  may  be  dissolved  in  a  clean 
bottle  without  heat,  and  by  half  an  hour’s  shaking  in  the 
hand.  Let  them  then  be  strained  and  treated  in  the 
usual  way,  as  above  mentioned. 

A  varnish  similar  to  this  is  occasionally  made,  in 
which  frankincense  or  sandrac  is  employed,  instead  of 
mastic,  and  is  very  well  adapted  for  mixing  up  colours. 

The  French  sometimes  prepare  this  resin  in  pure  alco¬ 
hol  ;  but  mastic  varnish  thus  prepared  is  liable  to  chill  on 
the  picture,  and  produces,  in  time,  a  kind  of  white  scale 
over  it,  which  injures  its  lustre. 


Varnish  for  Violins,  &c. 

Take  a  gallon  of  rectified  spirits  of  wine,  twelve 
ounces  of  mastic,  and  a  pint  of  turpentine  varnish;  put 
6 


62 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


them  in  all  together  in  a  tin  can,  and  keep  it  in  a  very 
warm  place,  shaking  it  occasionally,  till  it  is  perfectly 
dissolved ;  then  strain  it,  and  it  is  fit  for  use.  If  you 
find  it  necessary,  you  may  dilute  it  with  turpentine 
varnish. 

This  varnish  is  also  very  useful  for  furniture  of  plum- 
tree,  mahogany,  or  rosewood. 

White  hard  Varnish. 

Take  one  pound  of  mastic,  four  ounces  of  gum  anima, 
and  five  pounds  of  gum  sandrac :  put  them  altogether, 
to  dissolve,  into  a  vessel  containing  two  ounces  of  rec¬ 
tified  spirits  of  wine,  which  should  he  kept  in  a  warm 
place  and  frequently  shaken  till  all  the  gums  are  quite 
dissolved ;  then  strain  the  mixture  through  a  lawn 
sieve,  and  it  will  he  fit  for  use. 

Varnishes  for  Paling  and  coarse  Wood-work. 

Grind  any  quantity  of  tar  with  as  much  Spanish  brown 
as  it  will  bear,  without  becoming  too  thick  to  be  used  as 
a  paint  or  varnish ;  then  spread  it  on  the  wood  with  a 
large  brush.  It  soon  hardens  by  keeping.  The  work 
should  be  kept  as  free  from  dust  and  insects  as  possible, 
till  the  varnish  is  thoroughly  dry. 

This  varnish  is  an  excellent  preserver  of  the  wood 
from  damp ;  on  which  account,  as  well  as  its  being 
cheaper,  it  is  to  be  preferred  to  painting,  not  only  fox 
paling,  but  for  weather-boarding,  and  all  coarser  kinds 
of  painting  on  wood. 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION. 


63 


The  colour  may  be  made  a  grayish  instead  of  a  glossy 
Drown,  by  mixing  a  small  proportion  of  white  lead,  or 
of  whiting  and  ivory  black,  with  the  Spanish  brown. 

Varnish  for  Coloured  Drawings. 

Mix  together  one  ounce  of  Canada  balsam  and  two 
ounces  of  spirits  of  turpentine.  Before  applying  the 
composition,  size  the  drawing  or  print  with  a  solution  of 
isinglass  in  water;  when  this  is  dry,  apply  the  varnish 
with  a  camel’s-hair  brush. 

The  use  of  this  varnish  gives  to  coloured  drawings 
and  prints  an  appearance  resembling  that  of  oil  paint¬ 
ings.  . 

Varnish  for  Glass. 

Reduce  a  quantity  of  gum  tragacanth  to  powder,  and 
let  it  dissolve  for  twenty-four  hours  in  the  white  of  eggs 
well  beat  up ;  then  rub  it  gently  on  the  glass  with  a 
brush. 


Black  Varnish  for  old  Straw  or  Chip  Hats. 

Take  half  an  ounce  of  the  best  black  sealing-wax, 
pound  it  well,  and  put  it  into  a  four-ounce  phial  con¬ 
taining  two  ounces  of  rectified  spirits  of  wine.  Place  it 
in  a  sand-bath,  or  near  a  moderate  fire,  till  the  wax  is 
dissolved ;  then  lay  it  on  warm,  with  a  fine  soft  hair 
brush,  before  a  fire  or  in  the  sun.  It  gives  a  good  stiff¬ 
ness  to  old  straw  hats,  and  a  beautiful  gloss  equal  to 
new.  It  likewise  resists  wet. 


64  THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Varnish  for  Drawings  and  Card-work. 

Boil  some  clean  parchment-cuttings  in  water,  in  a 
glazed  pipkin,  till  they  produce  a  very  clear  size.  Strain 
it,  and  keep  it  for  use. 


Changing  Varnishes. 

Varnishes  of  this  description  are  called  changing,  be¬ 
cause,  when  applied  to  metals,  such  as  copper,  brass,  or 
hammered  tin,  they  give  them  a  more  agreeable  colour. 
Indeed,  the  common  metals,  when  coated  with  them, 
acquire  a  lustre  approaching  to  that  of  the  precious  me¬ 
tals  )  and  hence  these  varnishes  are  much  employed  in 
manufacturing  imitations  of  gold  and  silver. 

It  would  be  an  endless  task  to  enumerate  all  the 
various  kinds  of  changing  varnishes  that  can  be  made, 
and  the  methods  of  preparing  them.  One  simple  mode 
of  mixing  I  shall,  however,  mention  here,  by  which  all 
the  different  tints  that  can  be  required  for  changing 
varnishes  may  be  certainly  obtained. 

Put  four  ounces  of  the  best  gum  gamboge  into  thirty- 
two  ounces  of  spirits  of  turpentine ;  four  ounces  of  dra¬ 
gon’s  blood  into  the  same  quantity  of  spirits  of  turpen¬ 
tine  as  the  gamboge ;  and  one  ounce  of  anatto  into  eight 
ounces  of  the  same  spirits.  The  three  mixtures  should 
be  made  in  different  vessels. 

They  should  then  be  kept  for  about  a  fortnight,  in  a 
warm  place,  and  as  much  exposed  to  the  sun  as  possible. 


AND  VARNISHEIt’s  COMPANION. 


G5 


At  tlie  end  of  that  time  they  will  be  fit  for  use ;  and  you 
can  procure  any  tints  you  wish  by  making  a  composition 
from  them,  with  such  proportions  of  each  liquor  as  prac¬ 
tice  and  the  nature  of  the  colour  you  are  desirous  of 
obtaining  will  point  out. 

Changing  varnishes  may  likewise  he  employed,  with 
very  good  effect,  for  furniture. — See  Lacquers. 


Mordant  Varnishes. 

These  are  a  species  of  varnishes  chiefly  employed  when 
a  coating  of  some  other  substance  is  to  be  entirely  or  in 
part  laid  over  them. 

Compositions  of  this  kind  ought  neither  to  be  too  thick 
nor  too  fluid,  as  either  of  these  faults  injures  the  delicacy 
of  the  gilding. 

They  should  likewise  be  of  rather  a  fat  nature,  because 
they  must  be  so  prepared  as  not  to  dry  till  the  gilding 
is  completed. 

Various  compositions  are  employed  as  mordants,  and 
almost  every  workman  has  a  favourite  one  of  his  own. 
One  of  the  best  is  the  following : — 

Dissolve  one  ounce  of  mastic,  one  ounce  of  sandrac, 
half  an  ounce  of  gum  gamboge,  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce 
of  turpentine,  in  six  ounces  of  spirits  of  turpentine. 

Another  good  mordant  may  be  obtained  by  exposing 
boiled  oil  to  a  strong  heat  in  a  pan,  and,  when  you  per¬ 
ceive  a  black  smoke  disengaged  from  it,  setting  it  on 
fire,  and  extinguishing  it  in  a  few  moments  by  putting 
on  the  cover  of  the  pan.  Then  pour  the  matter,  while 
6* 


0  6 


TITE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 

it  is  warm,  into  a  heated  bottle,  and  add  to  it  i  little  oil 
of  turpentine. 

Both  the  above  mordants  have  something  of  a  drying 
nature,  and  are  therefore  objectionable  when  the  work  to 
be  done,  after  the  application  of  the  mordant,  is  of  a  kind 
that  requires  it  to  be  a  long  time  before  drying.  In  such 
cases,  the  best  mordant  is  formed  by  adding  a  little  red 
lead  to  the  copal  varnish  prepared  with  camphor  and  oil 
of  lavender,  as  before  directed. 

The  choice  of  mordants  must  in  some  measure  be 
guided  by  the  tone  which  you  desire  to  give  to  your 
work,  whether  deep  or  light,  red  or  yellow.  For  bronz¬ 
ing  or  very  pale  gilding,  a  mixture  of  asphaltum  and 
drying  oil,  diluted  with  oil  of  turpentine,  is  much  re¬ 
commended. 

One  of  the  simplest  mordants  is  that  procured  by 
dissolving  a  little  honey  in  thick  glue.  It  has  the  effect 
of  greatly  heightening  the  colour  of  the  gold,  and  tho 
leaf  sticks  to  it  extremely  well. 


GENERAL  OBSERVATIONS  ON  VARNISHES. 

It  is  a  common  practice,  in  the  manufacture  of  spirit 
varnishes,  to  mix  glass  or  sand  with  the  gum  or  resin, 
for  the  purpose  of  enabling  the  alcohol  to  penetiate  more 
readily  into  all  parts  of  the  mass.  M.  Ferrari,  however, 
recommends  ( Gw  male  de  Fissica,  ix.,  p.  36)  that  in 
place  of  those  substances,  a  coarsely  powdered  charcoal 
should  be  used ;  for  the  glass  or  sand  generally  tends  to 


AND  VARNISHEll’s  COMPANION. 


67 


aggregate  the  gum  or  resin  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessels 
and  to  protect  it  from  the  solvent ;  whilst,  on  the  con¬ 
trary,  the  charcoal  rather  tends  to  raise  and  divide  it. 
The  most  advantageous  proportion  appears  to  he  one 
ounce  of  charcoal  to  one  pound  of  the  spirit  or  the  oil  of 
turpentine  used.  The  uses  to  which  different  varnishes 
are  to  be  applied  must,  of  course,  determine  the  choice 
of  them.  Good  varnishes,  prepared  with  spirits  of  wine, 
are  very  clear,  brilliant,  and  delicate,  and  may  be  applied 
with  success  to  furniture,  and  to  fancy  ornaments 
which  are  kept  within  doors,  and  admit  of  re-varnishing 
easily ;  hut  they  have  not  body  nor  durability  enough 
for  coloured  grounds — not  even  wainscoting,  ceiling 
ornaments,  &c.,  or  any  articles  exposed  to  the  weather. 
If  you  attempt  to  renovate  them  by  rubbing,  they 
become  of  a  mealy  appearance.  Their  inferiority  to  oil 
varnishes,  is  evident  from  the  circumstance  that  oils  will 
of  themselves  form  varnishes  by  repeated  application, 
whereas  spirits  of  wine  alone,  so  applied,  disappear 
without  leaving  any  trace. 

Varnishes  made  with  turpentine  or  other  uls  aro 
much  superior  in  many  respects  to  those  prepared  with 
spirits  of  wine.  They  are  pliable  and  smooth,  as  well 
as  brilliant  and  durable.  They  yield  better  to  the  ope¬ 
ration  of  polishing,  and  are  less  liable  to  crack. 

Oil  of  poppies,  nut  oil,  and  linseed  oil  are  used  for 
making  fat  varnishes ;  oil  of  turpentine,  and  oil  of  la¬ 
vender  for  the  drier  ones.  The  other  oils  are  either  too 
fat,  too  much  coloured,  or  too  dear  to  answer  the  purpose 
of  the  varnisher. 


08 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Oil  of  turpentine  might  be  emploj'ed  on  all  occasions 
instead  of  spirits  of  wine,  in  the  composition  of  varnishes, 
were  it  not  for  the  strong  and  disagreeable  smell  arising 
from  it.  The  oil  obtained  from  the  coarse  or  common 
turpentine  ought  never  to  he  used  in  the  preparation  of 
varnishes.  A  slight  coating  of  spirits  of  wine  varnish 
laid  over  one  coat  of  turpentine,  when  dry,  is  of  great 
use  in  removing  the  offensive  odour. 

Varnishes  are  usually  kept  in  large  strong  glass  bottles 
with  a  wide  mouth,  for  the  convenience  of  taking  them 
out ;  but  as  the  light  is  frequently  found  to  act  strongly 
upon  them,  and  render  them  thick,  I  would  recommend 
wrapping  up  the  bottles  in  sheep-skin,  or  moist  parch¬ 
ment,  folding  it  round  the  neck,  and  tying  it  with  seve¬ 
ral  turns  of  pack-thread. 

The  best  vessel  for  holding  your  varnish  while  using 
it,  is  a  varnish-pan,  which  may  be  had  at  any  colour- 
shop.  It  is  made  of  tin,  with  a  false  bottom ;  the  in¬ 
terval  between  the  two  bottoms  is  filled  with  sand,  which, 
being  heated  over  the  fire,  keeps  the  varnish  fluid,  and 
makes  it  flow  more  readily  from  the  brush.  There  is  a 
tin  handle  to  the  pan,  and  the  false  bottom  comes  sloping 
from  one  end  to  the  other,  which  causes  the  varnish  to 
run  to  one  end. 

Very  great  caution  is  required  in  the  making  of  var¬ 
nish — a  process  in  which  most  serious  accidents  have 
frequently  occurred. 

As  heat  in  many  cases  is  necessary  to  dissolve  the 
gums  used  in  making  varnish,  the  best  way,  when  prac¬ 
ticable,  is  to  use  what  the  chemists  call  a  sand-bath, 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  69 

which  is  simply  placing  the  vessel  in  which  the  varnish 
is  in  another  filled  with  sand  and  placed  on  the  fire ;  this 
will  generally  he  sufficient  to  prevent  the  spirits  catching 
fire ;  but  in  case  of  such  accidents,  (which  not  unfre- 
quently  happen,)  it  will  be  best  to  take  a  vessel  so  large 
that  there  shall  be  little  danger  of  spilling  any — indeed, 
the  vessel  should  never  he  more  than  two-thirds  filled  ; 
but  in  case  of  accidents,  have  ready  at  hand  a  piece  of 
board  sufficiently  large  to  cover  the  top  of  the  vessel,  in 
case  of  its  taking  fire,  as  also  a  wet  wrapper,  in  case  it 
should  be  spilt  when  on  the  fire,  as  water  by  itself 
thrown  on  it  only  increases  the  mischief.  The  person 
who  attends  the  varnish-pot  should  also  have  his  hands 
covered  with  gloves,  and  if  these  are  made  of  leather, 
and  rather  damp,  it  will  effectually  prevent  injury. 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


70 


POLISHES. 

The  cc  impositions  used  for  polishing  are  different,  an- 
cording  to  the  nature  of  the  varnish  for  which  they  are 
r  ’nployed.  Some  of  the  most  useful  I  shall  insert  here. 

Varnish  Polish. 

Take  two  ounces  of  tripoli,  reduced  to  fine  powder; 
put  it  into  an  earthen  pot  or  basin,  with  water  to  cover 
it;  then  take  a  piece  of  fine  flannel,  four  times  doubled, 
lay  it  over  a  piece  of  cork  or  rubber,  and  proceed  to 
polish  your  varnish,  always  wetting  it  with  the  tripoli 
and  water.  You  will  know  when  the  process  is  com¬ 
pleted,  by  wiping  a  part  of  the  work  with  a  sponge  and 
observing  whether  there  is  a  fair  and  even  gloss.  Take 
a  bit  of  mutton-suet  and  fine  flour,  and  clean  off  the 
work. 

Or,  the  powdered  tripoli  may  be  mixed  up  with  a 
little  pure  oil,  and  used  upon  a  ball  of  serge,  or  of 
chamois  leather,  which  is  better.  The  polishing  may 
afterwards  he  completed  with  a  hit  of  serge  or  cloth, 
without  tripoli. 

Putty  powder,  and  even  common  whiting  and  water, 
are  sometimes  used  for  polishing;  hut  they  produce  a 
very  inferior  effect  to  tripoli,  except  in  the  case  of  ivory, 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


71 


for  which  putty  and  water,  used  upon  a  rubber  made  of 
a  hat,  forms  the  best  and  quickest  polish. 

Putty  and  water  may  likewise  be  used,  in  the  same 
manner  as  just  mentioned  for  ivory,  in  finishing  off  the 
polish  of  pearl-work,  after  it  has  first  been  polished  very 
smooth  with  pumice-stone,  finely  powdered,  and  well 
washed  to  free  it  from  impurities  and  dirt. 

Polish  for  Park-coloured  Woods. 

Take  one  ounce  of  seed-lac,  two  drams  of  gum-guai- 
acum,  two  drams  of  dragon’s  blood,  and  two  drams 
of  gum  mastic  :  put  them  into  a  vessel  containing  a  pint 
of  spirit  of  wine  :  stop  the  vessel  close,  and  expose  the 
mixture  to  a  moderate  heat  till  you  find  all  the  gums 
dissolved  :  strain  it  off  into  a  bottle  for  use,  with  a  quar¬ 
ter  of  a  gill  of  linseed  oil,  to  be  shaken  up  well  with  it. 

The  dragon’s  blood,  which  is  apt  to  give  a  red  tinge, 
renders  this  polish  improper  for  light-coloured  woods. 

Polish  for  Tunbridge-ware  Goods,  &c. 

Take  half  an  ounce  of  gum  sandrac  and  two  ounces 
of  gum  benjamin;  put  them  into  a  glass  bottle,  with  a 
pint  of  spirits  of  wine.  Cork  the  bottle,  and  place  it  in 
a  sand-bath,  or  in  hot  water,  till  you  find  the  gums  dis¬ 
solved,  shaking  it  in  the  interim  from  time  to  time. 
When  it  is  all  dissolved,  strain  it  through  a  muslin 
sieve,  and  bottle  it  for  use. 


72 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Carver's  Polish. 

In  a  pint  of  spirits  of  wine,  dissolve  two  ounces  of 
seed-lac  and  two  ounces  of  white  resin. 

The  principal  use  of  this  polish  is  for  the  carved  parts 
of  cabinet-work,  such  as  standards,  pillars,  claws,  &c. 
It  should  be  laid  on  warm;  and  if  the  work  can  also  be 
warmed  at  the  time,  it  will  be  still  better;  but  all 
moisture  and  dampness  should  be  carefully  avoided. 

French  Polish. 

Take  one  ounce  of  shell-lac,  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
gum  Arabic,  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  gum  copal. 
Bruise  them  well,  and  sift  them  through  a  piece  of  mus¬ 
lin  :  then  put  them,  along  with  a  pint  of  spirits  of  wine, 
into  a  closely-corked  vessel :  place  it  in  a  very  warm 
situation,  and  shake  it  frequently  every  day  till  the 
gums  are  dissolved :  then  strain  it  through  a  piece  of 
muslin,  and  keep  it  tight  corked  for  use. 

Water-proof  Polish. 

Put  two  ounces  of  gum  benjamin,  a  quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  gum  sandrac,  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  gum 
anima,  into  a  pint  of  spirits  of  wine,  in  a  closely  stopped 
bottle.  Place  the  bottle  either  in  a  sand-bath  or  in  hot 
water,  till  the  gums  are  dissolved ;  then  strain  off  the 
mixture,  shake  it  up  with  a  quarter  of  a  gill  of  the  best 
clear  poppy  oil,  and  put  it  by  for  use. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


73 


Finishing  Polish. 

Put  two  drams  of  shell-lac  and  two  drams  of 
gum  benjamin  into  half  a  pint  of  the  very  best  rectified 
spirits  of  wine,  in  a  bottle  closely  corked.  Keep  the 
bottle  in  a  warm  place,  and  shake  it  frequently  till  the 
gums  are  dissolved;  when  cold,  shake  up  with  it  two 
tea-spoonfuls  of  the  best  clear  poppy  oil,  and  it  will  be 
fit  for  use. 

This  polish  may  be  applied  with  great  advantage  after 
any  of  those  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  recipes  have 
been  used.  It  removes  the  defects  existing  in  them, 
increases  their  iustre  and  durability,  and  gives  the  sur¬ 
face  a  most  brilliant  appearance. 


/  4 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


) 

GILDING  MATERIALS. 

True  Gold  Powder. 

Put  some  gold  leaf,  with  a  little  honey  or  thick  gum- 
water,  into  an  earthen  morfar,  and  pound  the  mixture 
till  the  gold  is  reduced  to  very  small  particles.  Then 
wash  out  the  honey  or  gum  repeatedly  with  warm  water, 
and  the  gold  will  be  left  behind  in  the  state  of  powder, 
which,  when  dried,  is  fit  for  use. 

Another,  and  perhaps  better  method  of  preparing  gold 
powder,  is  to  heat  a  prepared  amalgam*  of  gold  in  a 
clean  open  crucible,  continuing  a  very  strong  heat  till 
all  the  mercury  has  evaporated,  stirring  the  amalgam  all 
the  while  with  a  glass  rod-  When  the  mercury  has  en 
tirely  left  the  gold,  grind  ,fie  remainder  in  a  Wedge- 
wood’s  mortar,  with  a  little  water;  and,  when  dried,  it 
will  be  fit  for  use.  The  subliming  the  mercury  is,  how¬ 
ever,  a  process  injurious  to  the  health. 

Colour -heighten  ing  Compositions. 

Eor  Yellow  Gold,  dissolve  in  water  six  ounces  of  salt¬ 
petre,  two  ounces  of  copperas,  one  ounce  of  white  vitriol, 


*  An  amalgam  of  any  metal  is  formed  by  a  mixture  of  quick¬ 
silver  with  that  metal. 


AND  VARNISHER  S  COMPANION. 


75 


and  one  ounce  of  alum.  If  wanted  redder,  add  a  small 
portion  of  blue  vitriol. 

For  Green  Gold,  dissolve  in  water  a  mixture  consist¬ 
ing  of  an  ounce  and  a  half  of  saltpetre,  vitriol,  and  sal- 
ammoniac,  an  ounce  and  a  quarter  each,  and  one  ounce 
of  verdigris. 

For  Red  Gold,  take  an  ounce  and  a  half  of  red  ochre 
in  fine  powder,  the  same  quantity  of  calcined  verdigris, 
half  an  ounce  of  calcined  borax,  and  four  ounces  of 
melted  yellow  wax.  The  verdigris  must  be  calcined, 
or  else,  by  the  heat  applied  in  melting  the  wax,  the 
vinegar  becomes  so  concentrated  as  to  corrode  the  sur¬ 
face,  and  make  it  appear  speckled. 

Mosaic  Gold. 

Mosaic  Gold,  or  Aururn  Mosaicum,  is  used  for  inferior 
articles.  It  is  prepared  in  the  following  manner :  A 
pound  of  tin  is  melted  in  a  crucible,  and  half  a  pound 
of  purified  quicksilver  added  to  it :  when  this  mixture 
is  cold,  it  is  reduced  to  powder,  and  ground  with  half  a 
pound  of  sal-amnioniac  and  seven  ounces  of  flower  of 
sulphur,  till  the  whole  is  thoroughly  mixed.  They  are 
then  calcined  in  a  matras;  and  the  sublimation  of  the 
other  ingredients  leaves  the  tin  converted  into  the  Aurum 
Mosaicum,  which  is  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  glass,  like 
a  mass  of  bright  flaky  gold  powder.  Should  any  black 
or  discoloured  particles  appear,  they  must  be  removed. 
The  sal-ammoniac  used  here  must  be  very  white  and 
clear,  and  the  mercury  quite  pure  and  unadulterated. 
When  a  shade  of  deeper  red  is  required,  it  can  easily  bo 


7G 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


obtained  by  grinding  a  very  small  quantity  of  red  lead 
along  with  the  above  materials. 


Dutch  or  German  Gold. 

A  gilding  powder  is  sometimes  made  from  Dutch 
Gold,  which  is  sold  in  books  at  a  very  low  price.  This 
is  treated  in  the  same  way  as  the  real  gold  leaf  in  making 
the  true  gold  powder.  It  is  necessary,  when  this  inferior 
powder  is  used,  to  cover  the  gilding  with  a  coat  of  clear 
varnish,  otherwise  it  soon  loses  its  metallic  appearance. 
The  same  remark  applies,  though  in  a  less  degree,  to 
Mosaic  gilding. 

Ethereal  Solution  of  Gold. 

The  following  mode  of  effecting  this  solution  (used 
chiefly  for  gilding  steel)  is  recommend  by  Mr.  H.  Mill, 
in  the  “  Technical  Repository,”  as  being  superior  to  any 
previously  made  known.  “The  instructions,”  he  says, 
“  given  in  most  elementary  works  on  chemistry  for  this 
purpose  are  either  erroneous  or  not  sufficiently  explicit.” 
The  process  answers  equally  well  for  either  gold  or 
platina. 

Dissolve  any  quantity  of  gold  or  platina  in  nitro-muri- 
atic  acid,  ( aqua  regia,')  until  no  further  effervescence  is 
occasioned  by  the  application  of  heat.  Evaporate  the 
solution  of  gold  or  platina,  thus  formed,  to  dryness,  in  a 
gentle  heat,  (it  will  then  be  freed  from  all  excess  of  acid, 
which  is  essential,)  and  re-dissolve  the  dry  mass  in  as 
little  water  as  possible  :  next  take  an  instrument  which 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  77 

is  used  by  chemists  for  dropping  liquids,  known  by  the 
name  of  a  separating  funnel,  having  a  pear-shaped  body, 
tapering  to  a  fine  sharp  point,  and  a  neck  capable  of  be¬ 
ing  stopped  with  the  finger  or  a  cork,  which  may  contain 
a  liquid  ounce  or  more ;  fill  it  with  the  liquid  about  one- 
quarter  part',  and  the  other  three  parts  must  be  filled 
with  the  very  best  sulphuric  ether.  If  this  be  rightly 
managed,  the  two  liquids  will  not  mix.  Then  place  the 
tube  in  a  horizontal  position,  and  gently  turn  it  round 
with  the  finger  and  thumb.  The  ether  will  very  soon 
be  impregnated  with  the  gold  or  platina,  which  may  be 
known  by  its  changing  its  colour  :  replace  it  in  a  perpen¬ 
dicular  position,  and  let  it  rest  for  twenty -four  hours ; 
having  first  stopped  up  the  upper  orifice  with  a  cork. 
The  liquid  will  then  be  divided  into  two  parts — the 
darkest  colouring  being  underneath.  To  separate  them, 
take  out  the  cork  and  let  the  dark  liquid  flow  out :  when 
it  has  disappeared,  stop  the  tube  immediately  with  the 
cork,  and  what  remains  in  the  tube  is  fit  for  use,  and 
may  be  called  gilding  liquid.  Let  it  be  put  into  a  bottle, 
and  tightly  corked. 

The  muriate  of  gold  or  platina,  formed  by  digesting 
these  metals  in  nitro-muriatic  acid,  must  be  entirely  free 
from  all  excess  of  acid ;  because  it  will  otherwise  act  too 
forcibly  on  the  steel,  and  cause  the  coating  of  gold  to 
peel  otf.  Pure  gold  must  be  employed  :  the  ether  must 
not  be  shaken  with  the  muriate  of  gold,  as  is  advised  in 
chemical  publications,  for  it  will  be  sure,  then,  to  contain 
acid;  but  if  the  two  liquids  be  brought  continually  into 
contact  by  the  motion  described,  the  affinity  between 


78 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


ether  and  gold  is  so  strong  as  to  overcome  the  obstacle 
of  gravity,  and  it  will  hold  the  gold  in  solution.  The 
ethereal  solution  may  also  be  concentrated  by  gentle 
evaporation. 


Gold  Oil-colour,  or  Size. 

The  English  method  of  preparing  the  colour  in  size, 
which  serves  as  the  ground  on  which  the  gold  is  laid,  is, 
to  grind  together  some  red  oxide  of  lead  with  the  thick¬ 
est  drying  oil  that  can  be  procured — the  older  the  better. 
To  make  it  work  freely,  it  is  mixed,  before  being  used, 
with  a  little  oil  of  turpentine,  till  it  is  brought  to  a 
proper  consistence.  (See,  also,  Mordant  ' Varnishes.) 

Gold  Water  Size. 

One  pound  of  Armenian  bole,  two  ounces  of  red  lead, 
and  a  sufficient  portion  of  black  lead,  are  ground  sepa¬ 
rately  in  water,  and  then  mixed,  and  re-ground  with 
nearly  a  spoonful  of  olive  oil.  The  gold  size  is  tempered 
by  mixing  it  in  parchment  size  which  is  clear  and  clean, 
and  has  been  passed  through  a  fine  sieve  to  clear  it  of 
all  foreign  matters.  The  parchment  size  is  made  by 
boiling  down  pieces  of  white  leather,  or  clippings  of 
parchment,  till  they  are  reduced  to  a  stiff  jelly. 

Preparatory  Size. 

Boil  a  handful  of  the  leaves  of  wormwood  and  two  or 
three  heads  of  garlic  in  a  quart  ■of  water,  until  the  liquid 
is  reduced  to  one-half;  then  strain  it  through  a  cloth, 


AND  VARNISIIER  S  COMPANION 


79 


and  add  half  a  handful  of  common  salt,  an  i  nearly  half 
a  pint  of  vinegar.  The  design  of  th/j  composition 
(usually  employed  in  gilding  looking-gl  ,ss  and  picture 
frames)  is  to  obviate  the  greasiness  of  the  wood,  and 
prepare  it  the  better  to  receive  the  coats  which  are  to  he 
laid  on,  and  to  preserve  it  from  the  ravages  of  worms. 
When  used,  it  is  mixed  with  a  sufficient  portion  of  good 
glue,  boiling  hot.  In  applying  it  to  the  gilding  of 
plaster  or  marble,  the  salt  must  be  left  out  of  its  com¬ 
position  ;  as,  in  damp  situations,  this  would  produce  a 
white,  saline  efflorescence  on  the  surface  of  the  gold. 

White  Coating. 

A  quart  of  strong  parchment  size  and  half  a  pint  of 
water  are  to  be  made  quite  hot,  and  to  this  are  to  be 
added  (in  small  portions  from  time  to  time)  two  good 
handfuls  of  common  whiting  passed  through  a  fine  sieve; 
this  mixture  is  to  be  left  to  infuse  for  half  an  hour,  when 
it  is  to  be  stirred  carefully  so  that  the  amalgamation 
may  be  perfect. 


Colouring  Yellow. 

Half  a  pint  of  parchment  size  is  taken,  which  must  be 
clean,  white,  and  clear,  and  of  one-half  the  strength  of 
that  used  for  the  white  coating;  this  is  warmed,  and 
there  is  mixed  with  it  two  ounces  of  yellow  ochre,  very 
finely  ground  in  water ;  it  is  then  left  at  rest,  and  the 
clear  portion  decanted,  which  gives  a  fine  yellow  colour, 
that  serves,  in  water  gilding,  to  cover  those  deep  recesses 


80 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


into  which  the  gold  cannot  he  made  to  enter :  it  serves 
also  as  a  mordant  for  the  gold  size. 

Vermeil. 

This  is  a  liquid  which  gives  to  the  gold  a  warm  re¬ 
flection.  It  is  composed  of  two  ounces  of  anotto,  one 
ounce  of  gamboge,  one  ounce  of  vermilion,  half  an  ounce 
of  dragon’s  blood,  two  ounces  of  salt  of  tartar,  and 
eighteen  grains  of  good  saffron.  The  whole  is  to  be 
boiled  in  a  quart  of  water,  over  a  slow  fire,  until  it  is 
reduced  to  one-fourth,  when  the  liquor  is  passed  through 
a  strainer  of  silk  or  muslin. 


AND  VARNISHEIi’s  COMPANION. 


MISCELLANEOUS  MATERIALS. 

Painter's  Cream. 

Till  s’ is  a  preparation  sometimes  employed  by  painters 
when  they  are  obliged  to  leave  work  unfinished  for  a 
length  of  time.  They  cover  the  parts  already  painted 
with  it,  which  preserves  the  freshness  of  their  colours, 
and  can  be  easily  removed  when  they  return  to  their 
work.  It  is  made  as  follows : — 

Take  half  an  ounce  of  the  best  mastic,  finely  powdered, 
and  dissolve  it  over  a  gentle  fire,,  in  three  ounces  of  very 
clear  nut-oil.  Pour  the  mixture  into  a  marble  mortar, 
with  two  drams  of  pounded  sugar  of  lead  at  the  bottom 
of  it.  Stir  this  with  a  wooden  pestle,  and  keep  adding 
water  in  small  quantities  till  the  whole  is  of  the  appear¬ 
ance  and  thickness  of  cream,  and  refuses  to  admit  more 
water,  so  as  to  mix  freely. 

Rotten  Stone. 

Rotten  Stone  is  sometimes  harsh  and  gritty ;  the  best 
way  of  trying  it  is  to  take  a  little  between  the  teeth, 
when  the  least  portion  of  grit  may  be  detected.  Careful 
workmen  will  always  wash  it  before  they  use  it.  This 
is  effected  by  stirring  the  fine  powder  in  a  considerable 
quantity  of  water,  then  allowing  it  to  remain  at  rest  for 
a  few  seconds,  and  pouring  the  water  into  a  glazed 


82 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


earthen  vessel ;  the  powder  which  then  precipitates  will 
he  perfectly  fine  and  smooth;  by  washing  the  remainder, 
the  whole  of  the  finer  parts  may  be  separated  from  the 
grit. 


Glue  and  Isinglass. 

Good  glue  should  swell  when  kept  in  cold  water  for 
three  or  four  days :  it  should  be  semi-transparent,  of  a 
brown  colour,  and  free  from  cloudiness.  Before  using 
it,  it  should  be  broken  into  small  pieces,  covered  with 
cold  water  for  some  hours  to  soften  it,  then  boiled  till 
dissolved,  and  again  allowed  to  congeal  by  cooling.  The 
books  in  general  recommend,  as  a  size  for  gilding  and 
bronzing,  a  solution  of  isinglass  ;  but  one  of  good  clear 
common  glue  is  much  cheaper,  and  answers  equally  well. 
Isinglass,  though  a  purer  gelatine  than  glue,  is  not  so 
easily  dissolved. 


Common  Size. 

The  size  used  by  painters  for  most  sorts  of  common 
work  is  prepared  by  boiling  in  water  pieces  of  parch¬ 
ment  and  of  the  skins  of  animals  and  fins  of  fish,  and 
evaporating  the  solution  to  a  proper  consistency.  It  only 
differs,  however,  from  a  solution  of  glue  in  containing 
fewer  foreign  ingredients  and  in  not  being  so  strong. 


AND  VARNISHEK'S  COMPANION. 


*3 


GRINDING  AND  WASHING  COLOURS. 

The  following  directions  for  the  grinding  of  colours 
will  he  found  of  use  to  those  who  may  not  find  it  conve¬ 
nient  to  have  a  mill  for  the  purpose,  such  as  that  we 
have  described  in  a  former  part  of  our  work. 

In  grinding,  place  yourself  in  such  a  situation,  with 
respect  to  the  grinding-stone,  that  you  may  be  able  with 
ease  to  exercise  the  full  length  and  strength  of  your 
arms  in  the  use  of  the  m  idler.  Then  place  upon  the 
stone  a  small  quantity  of  the  colour  you  are  about  to 
grind,  not  above  two-thirds  of  a  common  saucer  full  at 
most.  Novices  are  apt  to  entertain  an  idea  that  the 
work  would  be  hastened  by  grinding  a  great  deal  at  once, 
but  this  is  a  mistake.  The  less  you  grind  at  a  time  the 
easier  will  be  the  process  and  the  finer  the  colour.  One 
of  the  most  essential  points  in  the  preparation  of  a  co¬ 
lour  is  its  being  reduced  into  as  small  parts  as  possible. 
The  beauty  of  its  appearance  and  the  profit  arising  from 
it  equally  depend  upon  this :  and  a  good  workman  will 
not  therefore  grudge  the  time  employed  in  the  operation 
When  you  have  laid  your  colour  on  the  stone,  pour  upon 
it  a  little  of  the  oil  or  varnish  with  which  you  intend 
to  grind  it,  being  careful  not  to  put  too  much  at  first 


6-1 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


Mix  the  oil  and  the  colour  together ;  then  place  the 
muller  upon  them,  and  turn  it  a  few  times  about.  If 
you  find  there  is  not  oil  enough,  add  a  little  more,  and 
continue  to  grind  till  the  colour  becomes  of  the  consist¬ 
ence  of  an  ointment.  Be  careful  not  to  add  too  much 
oil,  so  as  to  make  the  colour  too  thin  and  cause  it  to  run 
about  the  stone ;  for  then  it  will  be  necessary  to  add 
more  solid  matter,  which  would  occasion  a  great  waste  of 
time  and  labour.  When  the  colour  is  rendered  thinner 
than  it  should  be,  the  grinding  is  less  fatiguing,  but  it 
occupies  more  time ;  when  thicker,  the  work  is  more 
laborious,  but  more  speedily  executed.  Experience  will 
teach  you  to  judge  correctly  in  this  matter. 

Should  the  colour  spread  during  the  grinding,  you 
must  bring  it  together  with  your  palette-knife  or  voider. 
When  you  have  ground  it  sufficiently  fine,  which  you 
may  determine  by  the  difficulty  of  raising  the  muller 
from  the  stone,  and  by  the  noise  occasioned  by  the  grind¬ 
ing  at  first  almost  entirely  subsiding,  take  up  the  muller; 
then  if  you  find  the  colour  completely  smooth  like  but¬ 
ter,  without  any  grittiness,  take  it  off  the  stone  with  a 
palette-knife  or  spatula,  and  put  it  into  your  pot  or  pan. 
Afterwards  lay  more  colour  upon  the  stone,  and  continue 
grinding  in  the  same  manner  till  the  necessary  quantity 
is  ground. 

It  is  always  desirable  to  grind  at  one  time  as  much 
of  a  lolour  as  is  required  for  the  work  you  have  in  hand : 
if  you  prepare  it  at  intervals,  in  different  quantities,  you 
will  often  find  some  difficulty  in  procuring  exactly  the 
same  shade  or  tint ;  and  if  you  fail  in  this,  the  appear- 


AND  VARNISIIEr’s  COMPANION. 


85 


anee  of  tne  work  will  be  sadly  disfigured.  Should  any 
colour  happen  to  be  left  which  you  are  desirous  of  pre¬ 
serving,  you  have  only  to  cover  it  with  water  and  deposit 
it  in  a  cool  place.  It  is  likewise  advisable  to  take  the 
same  precaution  with  your  colours,  if  you  have  occasion 
to  rest  for  a  time,  as  it  will  prevent  their  drying,  even 
in  the  hottest  weather. 

It  is  not  unusual  with  painters  and  varnishers,  who 
have  much  business,  to  grind  or  prepare  at  once  quan¬ 
tities  of  different  colours  or  varnishes  sufficient  to  serve 
them  for  a  long  while.  These,  as  the  best  mode  of  pre¬ 
serving- them,  they  keep  tied  up  close  in  ox  or  sheep 
bladders,  so  as  to  be  always  ready  when  wanted. 

Colours  that  are  of  a  coarse  and  sandy  nature  can 
seldom  be  ground  to  a  proper  degree  of  fineness.  Where 
common  work  only  is  required,  this  is  not  very  material; 
but  in  cases  where  superior  delicacy  is  necessary,  such 
colours,  after  being  ground,  must  undergo  the  operation 
of  washing. 

The  chief  of  these  are  yellow  ochre,  charcoal,  bone- 
black,  Spanish  brown,  red  lead,  white  chalk,  verditer, 
and  Saxon  blue. 

In  washing  oolours,  put  the  ouantity  you  wish  to  clean 
into  a  vessel  of  clear  water,  and  stir  it  till  the  water  be¬ 
comes  coloured;  skim  off  any  filth  you  observe  swim¬ 
ming  at  the  top ;  and  when  you  think  the  grossest  part 
of  the  colour  is  settled  at  the  bottom,  pour  off  the  water 
into  a  second  vessel,  large  enough  to  hold  four  or  five 
times  as  much  water  as  the  first ;  then  pour  some  more 
water  into  the  first  vessel,  and  proceed  as  before.  Keep 
s 


86 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


repeating  this  till  you  find  all  the  fine  part  of  the  colour 
drawn  off,  and  none  hut  the  gritty  particles  remaining 
in  the  bottom  of  the  first  vessel.  Let  the  water  in  the 
larger  vessel  stand  till  it  be  quite  clear  and  all  the  co¬ 
lour  settled  at  the  bottom  ;  then  pour  the  water  off  from 
it,  and  the  colour  at  the  bottom,  when  completely  dried , 
will  be  fit  for  use. 

Colours,  whether  you  grind  them  yourself,  as  above 
directed,  or  purchase  them  ready  ground,  will,  in  that 
state,  be  too  thick  for  use,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to 
dilute  them  with  the  varnish  or  oil  you  propose  to  em¬ 
ploy,  in  order  to  bring  them  to  a  proper  consistence. 
In  doing  this,  extremes  must  be  carefully  avoided.  If 
the  colour  be  made  too  thin,  it  runs,  and  does  not  cover 
the  article  to  be  painted  equally  or  exactly ;  if  too  thick, 
it  forms  lumps,  is  hard  to  spread,  occasions  more  expense, 
disfigures  the  work,  and  fatigues  the  hand  which  applies 
it.  If,  when  the  brush  is  taken  from  the  pot  and 
turned  two  or  three  times  round  in  the  hand,  being  held 
obliquely,  so  as  to  check  the  thread  which  is  formed,  the 
colour  do  not  drop  from  it,  it  will  then  be  as  stiff  as  it 
can  be  well  wrought  with  ;  and  this  is  the  proper  state 
for  use,  as  both  expedition  and  durability  are  gained  by 
it.  If  it  be  thin  enough  to  allow  the  ground  on  which  it 
is  laid  to  be  at  all  seen  through  it,  it  cannot  be  good ;  and 
though  it  may  work  more  easily  at  the  time,  it  will  re¬ 
quire  repeated  coatings  to  make  it  perfect  and  substan¬ 
tial,  when  one  of  a  proper  thickness  would  have  been 
sufficient.  I  may  here  remark,  that  many  jobs  being 
contracted  for  by  painters  at  so  much  a  yard,  and  the 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION.  97 

-  work  to  be  coloured  three  times  over,  some  are  iu  the 
habit,  with  a  view  of  sparing  paint  and  labour,  of  mak¬ 
ing  their  colourings  so  thin  as  not  to  be  altogether  equal 
to  one  good  coating.  But  this  is  a  practice  which  no 
tradesman,  who  values  his  own  character  or  that  of  the 
work  turned  out  of  his  hands,  will  adopt. 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


*8 


CLEANLINESS  IN  WORKING. 

The  principal  end  aimed  at  by  tbe  Painter,  Varnisher, 
or  Gilder,  and  especially  by  the  last  two,  is  to  beautify ; 
and,  without  the  strictest  cleanliness,  it  is  obvious  this 
end  can  never  be  answered. 

Every  surface  to  which  colour,  varnish,  or  gilding  is 
to  be  applied  should  first  be  thoroughly  cleaned ;  it 
should  be  rubbed,  brushed,  and  even  washed,  if  neces¬ 
sary  ;  in  the  last  case,  however,  it  must  be  well  dried 
afterwards. 

When  any  surface  which  is  to  be  varnished  or  painted 
has  been  previously  varnished,  and  is  found  to  be  in- 
crusted  with  dust  or  dirt,  soap  and  water  must  be  ap¬ 
plied  gently  with  a  sponge,  and  great  care  taken  every 
time,  after  the  sponge  has  been  rubbed  over  the  varnish, 
to  rinse  it  in  clean  water,  and  to  squeeze  it  thoroughly 
out  before  it  be  again  dipped  into  the  soap  and  water. 

In  grinding  colours,  after  you  have  ground  as  much 
of  any  one  sort  as  you  want,  before  you  proceed  to  place 
any  other  kind  upon  the  stone,  let  it  be  perfectly  cleaned 
from  the  former  colour,  by  first  rubbing  it  with  a  cloth 
and  fine  dry  ashes  or  sand,  and  afterwards  with  a  little 
spirit  of  turpentine;  then  let  it  bo  well  wiped  with  a 
rag,  or  with  leather  shavings. 


AND  VARNISHED  S  COMPANION. 


80 


But  of  all  things  in  which  cleanliness  is  essential, 
brushes  and  pencils  are,  perhaps,  the  most  to  be  con¬ 
sidered.  With  regard  to  the  painter,  where  the  very  great¬ 
est  nicety  is  required,  a  separate  brush  or  pencil  should  be 
assigned  to  each  colour,  wiped  when  the  work  is  done, 
and  preserved  by  covering  it  with  water.  With  artists, 
this  is  an  invariable  rule,  but  the  occupations  of  the 
mechanical  painter  are  hardly  ever  of  such  extreme  deli¬ 
cacy  as  to  require  him  to  adopt  it.  In  general,  it  is 
sufficient  for  him  to  carefully  wash  out  every  brush  or 
pencil  after  he  has  done  with  it,  or  before  he  employs  it 
for  any  other  colour  than  that  with  which  he  has  been 
previously  using  it.  This  washing  out  should  be  first 
in  the  oil  with  which  the  colour  has  been  ground  or 
mixed,  (but  neat  linseed  oil,  or  oil  of  turpentine,  will 
always  sufficiently  answer  for  general  purposes,)  and 
afterwards  in  warm  soap-suds.  Brushes  that  have  been 
used  for  varnishing  may,  on  an  emergency,  be  tolerably 
washed  out  with  boiling  water  and  yellow  soap  only. 
It  is,  however,  much  better  to  wash  them  well  first  with 
spirit  of  wine,  if  the  varnish  has  been  compounded  with 
spirits,  or  with  oil  of  turpentine,  if  it  has  been  prepared 
with  any  description  of  oil ;  and,  in  either  case,  to  clean 
them  thoroughly  with  warm  soap  and  water.  The  spi¬ 
rits  used  for  washing  varnish  brushes  are  not  thereby 
rendered  unfit  for  use  in  preparing  varnishes  for  common 
purposes.  Remember,  if  either  oil  or  colour  be  once 
allowed  to  dry  in  a  brush  or  pencil,  it  is  spoiled  for 
ever.  For  coloured  varnishes,  kept  in  small  quantities, 
a  brush  may  be  appropriated  to  each  exclusively,  and 
8* 


90 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER 


left  in  the  bottle ;  but  in  this  case  the  cork  should  bG 
perforated  so  as  to  fit  the  handle,  and  the  points  of  the 
hairs  should  dip  into  the  varnish ;  the  brush  will  then 
he  always  ready  for  use.  A  common  mustard  bottle 
will  in  general  answer  the  purpose. 


AND  VATIN  I  SHEB,’S  COMPANION. 


91 


PRACTICE  OF  PAINTING. 

A  Painter  will  consult  durability  in  preference  to 
beauty  of  appearance,  or  the  reverse,  according  as  his 
work  is  to  be  more  or  less  exposed  to  the  weather.  In 
out-door  work,  durability  is,  of  course,  of  the  most 
consequence;  and  as  it  is  likewise  the  simplest  kind 
of  painting,  I  shall  begin  with  noticing  the  manner  of 
executing  it. 

Before  attempting  to  lay  any  colour  upon  your  work, 
you  must  carefully  fill  up  with  putty,  so  as  to  make  the 
whole  surface  perfectly  level,  all  flaws,  cracks,  openings, 
nail-holes,  &c.  j  for,  if  this  be  not  done,  the  rain  and  snow 
will  be  sure  to  penetrate  into  these  places,  and  quickly 
destroy  the  fruits  of  your  labour.  All  knots  and  uneven¬ 
nesses  must  likewise  be  carefully  removed.  When  these 
points  are  accomplished,  proceed  to  the  priming  of  the 
work ;  that  is,  laying  on  the  colour  which  is  to  serve  as 
a  ground  for  the  succeeding  coatings.  The  nature  of  the 
priming  will,  of  course,  be  regulated  by  that  which  the 
surface  is  ultimately  to  receive.  Sufficient  time  must  be 
allowed  for  this  to  dry,  according  to  the  state  of  the 
weather  :  from  two  to  three  days  will  generally  be 
enough.  When  the  wood  is  new,  or  great  solidity  re¬ 
quired  in  the  work,  it  may  be  proper  to  repeat  the  first 
priming ;  otherwise,  when  that  is  dry  proceed  to  put  on 


HIE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


tf*2 

the  first  coat  of  your  proposed  colour,  and  afterwards  tlia 
others  iu  succession,  as  each  of  the  preceding  ones  be¬ 
comes  dry.  The  number  of  coats  applied  will  depend 
upon  the  agreement  made,  and  upon  how  far  the  work 
is  wanted  to  be  finished  and  substantial. 

When  the  wood  you  are  about  to  colour  is  new,  the 
priming  should  be  laid  on  as  thin  as  possible ;  because, 
in  this  case,  the  quantity  of  oil  which  necessarily  sinks 
into  the  wood  is  very  useful  in  preserving  it.  This  thin¬ 
ness  of  the  priming  in  new  wood  is  also  the  reason  why, 
as  before  observed,  it  is  proper  to  repeat  it.  But  as  the 
thinness  tends  to  delay  its  drying,  if  the  priming  colour 
be  one  that  is  naturally  hard  to  dry,  do  not  mix  it  with 
plain  linseed  oil,  but  with  one  part  of  drying  oil  and  two 
parts  of  linseed  oil ;  or  if  the  priming  colour  be  white  or 
blue,  mix  it  with  linseed  oil  as  usual,  but  grind  a  small 
portion  of  white  copperas  along  with  it,  because  the  two 
colours' just  mentioned  are  affected  in  their  tints  by  the 
drying  oil. 

No  new  coating  of  colour  ought  ever  to  be  applied  till 
the  former  is  perfectly  dry,  which  can  never  be  the  case 
while  the  least  stickiness  is  felt  on  applying  the  hand  to 
it.  The  neglect  of  this  precaution  is  certain  to  ruin  all 
the  beauty  of  painting.  Great  care  should  likewise  be 
taken  to  brush  off  any  dust  which  may  have  settled  upon 
the  former  coat  before  applying  a  new  one ;  for,  if  it  be 
allowed  to  remain  and  mix  with  the  colour,  the  uni¬ 
formity  of  the  tint  will  be  destroyed,  particularly  in 
bright  colours.  The  workmen  ought  to  be  very  careful 
that  every  coating  is  of  the  same  thickness  throughout, 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION. 


93 


or  the  work,  when  done,  will  have  an  unfinished  and 
slovenly  appearance.  This  forms  an  additional  reason  for 
always  mixing  as  much  colour  at  once  as  is  necessary 
for  the  job  to  which  it  is  to  be  applied.  The  proper 
thickness  of  each  respective  coating  can  only  he  learned 
by  habit  and  experience.  If  too  thin,  it  often  cracks  in 
drying ;  if  too  thick,  it  becomes  blistered,  wrinkled,  and 
unequal.  The  first  coating,  however,  may  always  allow  ■ 
ably  be  made  much  thinner  than  any  of  the  succeeding 
ones. 

Practice,  too,  is  necessary,  in  order  to  obtain  even  the 
proper  use  of  the  brush,  and  to  learn  the  art  of  varying 
its  strokes  according  to  circumstances.  Sometimes  long 
strokes  are  to  he  employed  to  extend  the  colour  in  a 
uniform  manner;  at  other  times  the  colour  should  be 
laid  on  in  repeated  dabs,  for  the  purpose  of  incrusting 
it  in  recesses  and  places  where  the  surface  is  unequal. 
The  test  of  the  complete  workman  in  this  respect  is  to 
leave  no  marks  of  the  brush  behind  him. 

The  same  general  directions  that  are  given  for  outside 
painting  will  apply  to  inside  work ;  but,  in  this  latter, 
more  finish  and  delicacy  of  execution  are  necessary  than 
in  the  former ;  and,  as  it  is  not  so  much  exposed  to  in¬ 
jury  from  the  effects  of  weather  and  the  state  of  the 
atmosphere  as  the  work  done  without-doors,  the  painter 
is  not  obliged  to  pay  so  much  attention  to  durability, 
but,  in  the  choice  and  application  of  his  colours,  prin¬ 
cipally  to  regard  beauty  and  effect.  In  inside  work,  the 
surfaces  to  be  painted  are  frequently  composed  of  fir  o: 
deal,  in  which  kinds  of  wood,  particularly  when  new, 


94 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


there  are  usually  a  great  many  resinous  knots.  If  these 
be  permitted  to  remain,  the  colour  will  run  into  them 
and  not  adhere.  Before  beginning  to  paint,  you  should, 
therefore,  saturate  these  knots  with  a  mixture  of  red 
lead  and  litharge  with  a  small  quantity  of  oil  of  tur¬ 
pentine. 

The  panelling  of  wainscot,  and  other  similar  parts 
of  inside  work,  will  give  you  frequent  occasion  to  em¬ 
ploy  very  small  brushes  or  pencils.  In  using  these,  you 
should  not  take  your  colours  Out  of  a  pot  or  pan,  but 
have  those  that  j'ou  want  disposed  upon  a  palette. 
There  is  more  than  one  advantage  attached  to  this.  In 
the  first  place,  if  your  pencil  be  only  dipped  into  a  pot 
of  colour,  it  brings  out  with  it  no  more  than  hangs  on 
the  outside — a  quantity,  from  the  small  size  of  the  brush, 
that  will  go  but  a  little  way  in  working ;  whereas,  if  you 
work  and  temper  the  colour  by  rubbing  the  pencil  about 
in  it  upon  the  palette,  it  will  imbibe  a  considerable 
quantity  of  the  colour.  In  addition  to  this,  you  will 
likewise,  by  this  method,  be  able  to  work  your  pencil  to 
a  point,  which  is  a  great  advantage  in  fine  painting  and 
drawing  lines,  and  which  you  could  never  obtain  by 
taking  your  colour  upon  it  out  of  a  pot. 


Painting  in  Distemper. 

The  leading  difference  between  oil-painting  and  paint¬ 
ing  in  distemper  is,  that  in  the  latter  the  colours,  instead 
of  being  prepared  with  oil,  are  mixed  with  size  and  wa¬ 
ter.  This  circumstance  renders  many  colouring  sub- 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  95 

stances,  particularly  some  that  contain  chalk  or  clayey 
earth,  or  are  extracted  from  vegetable  matter,  proper  for 
the  purpose  of  distemper,  which  cannot  be  used  in 
painting  in  oil. 

Almost  all  colouring  substances  which  can  be  used  in 
oil-painting  are  applicable  in  distemper ;  but  the  reverse, 
as  will  appear  from  the  remarks  I  have  just  made,  is  far 
from  being  the  case.  In  speaking  of  colours,  care  has 
been  ta,ken  to  notice  particularly  such  as,  from  their 
nature,  can  be  employed  only  in  distemper. 

In  painting  in  distemper,  it  is  advisable  to  apply  all 
the  coatings,  except  the  last,  warm ;  not,  however,  in  a 
boiling  state,  for  that  is  injurious,  and  may  cause  wood 
to  split.  Besides,  if  the  size  be  too  much  heated,  it 
becomes  fat,  and  will  not  adhere.  In  putting  on  fresh 
coatings,  be  very  careful  to  preserve  an  equal  thickness 
throughout. 

Without  the  utmost  attention  to  having  the  ground 
you  are  to  work  upon  perfectly  clean,  no  pleasing  effect 
can  ever  result  from  distemper.  Grease  and  lime  on  the 
surface  that  is  to  receive  it  would  ruin  all.  They  must 
be  removed  by  scraping  if  the  surface  be  a  wall,  and  by 
a  solution  of  pearlash  if  it  be  wood.  Canvas  must  be 
cleaned  by  means  of  a  ley. 

When  the  wall  or  surface  is  very  smooth,  a  coating  of 
warm  glue  is  first  applied;  but  if  rough,  a  coat  of  Span¬ 
ish  white,  or  chalk  mixed  with  a  solution  of  glue,  is  em¬ 
ployed  to  render  the  surface  smoother ;  and  when  the 
coating  is  dry,  it  is  scraped  as  clean  and  as  even  as  pos¬ 
sible.  A  level  surface  is  indispensable  to  receive  dis* 


06 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


temper.  If  there  are  any  considerable  inequalities  or 
holes,  they  must  be  filled  up  with  gypsum,  and  time 
allowed,  before  applying  any  coat,  for  that  gypsum  to 
gain  body,  which  will  not  be  the  case  before  it  is 
thoroughly  dry. 

In  painting  in  distemper,  the  thickness  of  the  colour, 
contrary  to  the  observation  I  made  on  that  head  in  oil- 
painting,  should  be  such  that  it  may  run  or  drop  from 
the  brush  in  a  thread  when  taken  from  the  pot.  If  the 
colour  do  not  form  a  thread,  it  is  too  thick,  and  the  work 
is  likely  to  become  scaly. 

Distemper  is  much  used  in  the  interior  of  houses,  and, 
when  well  executed,  has  a  very  delicate  and  beautiful 
appearance.  It  is  likewise  free  from  the  disagreeable 
smell  which  usually  arises  from  the  turpentine  in  oil- 
painting.  It  is,  however,  far  inferior  to  oil,  both  as  to 
the  durability  of  the  colours  and  to  the  preservation  of 
the  surfaces  on  which  it  is  applied.  In  some  cases,  too, 
it  is  attended  with  the  inconvenience  of  not  enabling  the 
W'orkman  to  see  what  effect  a  particular  mixture  will 
produce  when  it  is  dry.  When  this  happens,  the  only 
method  of  obviating  the  evil  is  to  try  each  mixture  on 
pieces  of  prepared  wood  having  the  same  tint  as  the 
ground  on  which  you  are  working,  so  as  to  obtain  the 
real  tint. 

A  kind  of  distemper,  called  by  the  French  badiyeon , 
is  sometimes  used  in  out-door  work,  to  give  a  uniform 
tint  to  houses  rendered  brown  by  time,  and  to  churches 
where  it  is  required  to  render  them  brighter.  It  has 
generally  a  yellow  tint.  The  best  kind  is  made  by  mix- 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION. 


97 


ing  the  saw-dust  or  powder  of  the  same  kind  of  stone 
and  slaked  lime,  in  a  bucket  of  water  containing  a  pound 
of  alum  in  solution.  The  composition  is  applied  with 
a  brush. 

Painting  in  Milk. 

In  consequence  of  the  injury  which  has  often  resulted 
to  sick  and  weakly  persons  from  the  smell  of  common 
paint,  the  following  method  of  painting  with  milk  has 
been  adopted  by  some  workmen,  which,  for  the  interior 
of  buildings,  besides  being  as  free  as  distemper  from  any 
offensive  odour,  is  said  to  be  nearly  equal  to  oil-painting 
in  body  and  durability. 

Take  half  a  gallon  of  skimmed  milk,  six  ounces  of 
lime  newly  slaked,*  four  ounces  of  poppy,  linseed,  01  nut- 
oil,  and  three  pounds  of  Spanish  white.  Put  the  lime 
into  an  earthen  vessel  or  clean  bucket,  and  having 
poured  on  it  a  sufficient  quantity  of  milk  to  make  it 
about  the  thickness  of  cream,  add  the  oil  in  small  quan¬ 
tities  at  a  time,  stirring  the  mixture  with  a  wooden  spa¬ 
tula.  Then  put  in  the  rest  of  the  milk,  and  afterwards 
the  Spanish  white. 

It  is,  in  general,  indifferent  which. of  the  oils  above- 
mentioned  you  use ;  but,  for  a  pure  white,  oil  of  poppy 
is  the  best. 

The  oil  in  this  composition,  being  dissolved  by  the 


*'  Lime  is  slaked  by  dipping  it  into  water,  then  taking  the 
pieces  out  immediately  and  allowing  them  to  slake  in  the  open 
air. 

9 


/■ 


98 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


lime,  wholly  disappears;  and,  uniting  with  the  whole 
of  the  other  ingredients,  forms  a  kind  of  calcareous 
soap. 

In  putting  in  the  Spanish  white,  you  must  he  careful 
that  it  is  finely  powdered  and  strewed  gently  over  the 
surface  of  the  mixture.  It  then,  by  degrees,  imbibes 
the  liquid  and  sinks  to  the  bottom. 

Milk  skimmed  in  summer  is  often  found  to  be  cur¬ 
dled  ;  but  this  is  of  no  consequence  in  the  present  pre¬ 
paration,  as  its  combining  with  the  lime  soon  restores  it 
to  its  fluid  state.  But  it  must  on  no  accouut  be  sour; 
because,  in  that  case,  it  would,  by  uniting  with  the  lime, 
form  an  earthy  salt,  which  could  not  resist  any  degree 
of  dampness  in  the  air. 

Milk  paint  may  likewise  be  used  for  out-door  objects 
by  adding  to  the  ingredients  before-mentioned  two 
ounces  each  more  of  oil  and  slaked  lime,  and  two  ounces 
of  Burgundy  pitch.  The  pitch  should  be  put  into  the 
oil  that  is  to  be  added  to  the  milk  and  lime,  and  dis¬ 
solved  by  a  gentle  heat.  In  cold  weather,  the  milk  and 
lime  must  be  warmed,  to  prevent  the  pitch  from  cooling 
too  suddenly,  and  to  enable  it  to  unite  more  readily  with 
the  milk  and  lime. 

Time  only  can  prove  how  far  this  mode  of  painting  is 
to  be  compared,  for  durability,  with  that  in  oil;  for  the 
shrinking  to  which  coatings  of  paint  are  subject  depends 
in  great  measure  upon  the  nature  and  seasoning  of  the 
wood. 

The  milk  paint  used  for  iu-door  work  dries  in  about 
an  hour;  and  the  oil  which  is  employed  in  preparing  it 


AND  VARNISHER  S  COMPANION. 


99 


entirely  loses  its  smell  in  the  soapy  state  to  which  it  is 
reduced  by  its  union  with  the  lime.  One  coating  will 
be  sufficient  for  places  that  are  already  covered  with  any 
colour,  unless  the  latter  penetrate  through  it  and  produce 
spots.  One  coat  will  likewise  suffice,  in  general,  for 
ceilings  and  staircases;  two  will  be  necessary  for  new 
■wood. 

Milk  painting  may  be  coloured,  like  every  other  in 
distemper,  by  means  of  the  different  colouring  substances 
employed  in  common  painting.  The  quantity  I  have 
given  in  the  receipt  will  be  sufficient  for  one  coat  to  a 
surface  of  about  twenty-five  square  yards. 


100 


THE  PAINTER,  Q  x,OER. 


PRACTICE  OF  VARNISHING  AND  POLISHING 

Before  beginning  to  varnish,  you  must  fill  up  any 
knots  or  blemishes  with  cement  of  the  same  colour  as 
the  ground.  Have  your  varnish  in  a  pan,  such  as  I 
have  before  described,  with  a  piece  of  wire  running  dia¬ 
metrically  across  the  top,  and  slackened  downwards,  to 
stroke  your  brush  against.  Be  careful  that  the  brush 
be  clean  and  free  from  loose  hairs;  dip  it  in  the  varnish, 
strokyig  it  across  the  wire,  and  give  the  wor'k  a  thin  re¬ 
gular  coat;  soon  after  that,  another;  and  so  continue; 
always  taking  care  not  to  pass  the  brush  twice  over  the 
same  place  in  any  one  coat,  as  that  would  render  it 
unequal. 

The  greatest  difficulty  of  the  operation  consists  in 
preventing  the  different  strokes  of  the  brush  from  being 
visible.  To  avoid  this,  let  the  brash  be  perfectly  flat 
and  as  large  as  the  nature  of  the  work  will  permit. 
Draw  it  gently  over  the  surface,  in  taking  your  strokes, 
and  be  careful  not  to  load  the  brash  with  too  much 
varnish  at  once. 

Turned  articles  are  always  best  varnished  while  in  the 
lathe,  by  means  of  heat ;  because  the  extension  of  the 
varnish  is  then  more  uniform  and  the  operation  facili¬ 
tates  the  polishing  afterwards. 

When  varnish  is  applied  to  painting  in  distemper,  it 
is  necessary  to  allow  sufficient  time  to  elapse  between 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


101 


tlie  application  of  the  distemper  and  that  of  the  varnish 
to  let  the  wood  become  perfectly  dry 3  if  this  be  not 
done,  the  varnish  will  penetrate  into  the  size,  and  at  last 
bring  off  the  coat  of  colouring  beneath  along  with  it,  in 
thin  pieces. 

For  ordinary  purposes,  shell-lac  varnish  does  not  re¬ 
quire  to  be  rubbed  down  and  polished  3  but,  when  it  is 
wished  to  produce  a  very  even  surface,  these  processes 
are  necessary :  for  rubbing  down,  pumice-stone  in  fine 
powder  is  used.  A  piece  of  woollen  rag  is  made  wet, 
and  a  portion  of  the  powder  put  upon  it 3  this  is  rubbed 
carefully  and  equally  over  every  part  of  the  varnished 
surface  until  it  appear  perfectly  even.  Great  care  is 
requisite  to  avoid  rubbing  through  at  some  parts  before 
others  are  rendered  smooth,  particularly  if  there  are 
sharp  edges  or  projecting  mouldings.  When  this  takes 
place,  the  whole  process  of  varnishing  must  be  repeated. 
A  little  practice  will,  however,  enable  any  one  to  avoid 
this,  provided  the  article  varnished  have  an  even  surface 
and  the  number  of  coats  have  been  sufficient  to  give  the 
requisite  thickness  of  resin.  When  the  surface  to  be 
polished  is  flat,  the  cloth  may,  when  used,  be  wrapped 
round  a  piece  of  cork  or  wood  3  and  the  same  method 
may  be  adopted  in  rubbing  down  mouldings. 

When  a  surface  is  well  prepared  by  the  pumice-stone, 
it  is  very  easily  polished.  This  is  effected  by  fine  rotten- 
stone,  used  exactly  in  the  same  way  as  the  pumice- 
stone,  excepting  that  sweet  oil  is  used  instead  of  water. 
The  oil  may  be  removed  from  the  surface  by  a  fine  rag 
and  some  dry  rotten  stone  3  and  if  a  little  be  then  rubbed 
9*  , 


102  TIIE  FAINTER,  GILDER, 

on  by  the  palm  of  the  hand,  this  will  give  a  high  polish 
to  the  surface. 

The  gloss  upon  the  shell-lac  which  has  been  polished 
is  less  brilliant  than  that  of  the  unpolished  varnish,  but 
this  gloss  may  be  given  by  using  a  coat  of  seed-lac 
varnish,  which  will  abstract  but  little  from  the  perfect 
surface  given  by  polishing. 

In  some  cases,  hard  bodies  may  be  allowably  employed 
in  polishing  varnishes,  but  only  when  these  varnishes 
are  themselves  hard,  such  as  those  resulting  from  the 
solution  of  amber  and  copal  in  drying  oil,  or  even  in  oil 
of  turpentine. 

When  it  is  required  to  clean  and  polish  old  furniture, 
first  wash  it  thoroughly  with  hot  soft  water  to  get  the 
dirt  off;  then  take  a  quart  of  stale  beer  or  vinegar,  put 
in  a  handful  of  common  salt  and  a  table-spoonful  of 
spirits  of  salt,  and  boil  it  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour;  keep 
it  in  a  bottle,  and  warm  it  when  wanted  for  use.  This 
mixture  should  be  applied  as  long  as  necessary  after  the 
furniture  has  been  washed  with  the  hot  water. 


French  Polish. 

There  is  a  mode  of  using  shell- lac  varnish  which  is 
sometimes  denominated  the  German,  but  more  commonly 
the  French  mode.  It  merits  to  be  generally'  known,  as 
the  process  is  easy'  and  economical,  and  the  effect  beau¬ 
tiful.  It  has  beeu  much  employed  byT  cabinet  and  mu¬ 
sical  instrument  makers,  but  is  not  yet  so  extensively 
practised  as  it  merits  to  be. 


AND  VARNISHER’.S  COMPANION.  7.  ,A 

The  varnish  is  applied  by  means  of  what  is  called  a 
rubber,  made  by  rolling  up  a  piece  of  thick  woollen  cloth, 
which  has  been  torn  off  so  as  to  have  a  soft,  elastic  edge- 
The  varnish,  put  into  a  narrow-mouthed  bottle,  is  ap¬ 
plied  to  the  middle  of  the  flat  face  of  the  rubber  by  lay¬ 
ing  the  rubber  on  the  mouth  of  the  bottle  and  quickly 
shaking  the  varnish  at  once,  as  the  rubber  will  thus 
imbibe  a  sufficient  quantity  to  varnish  a  considerable 
extent  of  surface.  The  rubber  is  then  enclosed  in  a 
soft  linen  cloth  doubled,  the  remainder  of  the  cloth  being 
gathered  together  at  the  back  of  the  rubber  to  form  a 
handle  to  hold  it  by ;  and  the  face  of  the  linen  cloth 
must  be  moistened  with  a  little  raw  linseed-oil,  which 
may  either  be  coloured  with  alkanet  root  or  not,  applied 
with  the  finger  to  the  middle  of  it. 

The  work  to  be  varnished  should  be  placed  opposite 
to  the  light,  in  order  that  the  effect  of  the  polishing  may 
be  better  seen,  and  a  surface  of  from  ten  to  eight  feet 
square  may  be  varnished  at  once. 

The  rubber  must  be  quickly  and  lightly  rubbed  upon 
the  surface  of  the  article  to  be  varnished,  and  the  rub¬ 
bing  continued  until  the  varnish  becomes  nearly  dry. 
The  coil  of  woollen  cloth  must  then  bo  again  wetted  with 
the  varnish,  (no  more  oil  need  be  applied  to  the  surface 
of  the  linen  cloth,)  and  the  ruining  renewed  till  the  var¬ 
nish  becomes  nearly  dry  as  before  ;  a  third  coat  must  be 
applied  in  the  same  manner,  then  a  fourth  with  a  little 
oil,  which  must  be  followed  by  two  others  without  oil,  as 
before.  You  proceed  thus  until  the  varnish  has  acquired 
some  thickness,  which  will  be  after  a  few  repetitions 


101 


VlijS  1AINTEB,  GILDER. 


of  the  sente.  Apply  then  a  little  alcohol  to  the  inside 
of  the  li.nen  cloth,  and  wet  the  coil  with  the  varnish : 
after  which,  rub  very  quickly,  lightly,  and  uniformly, 
over  every  part  of  the  varnished  surface,  which  will  tend 
to  make  it  even,  and  very  much  conduce  to  its  polish. 
The  linen  cloth  must  now  he  wetted  with  a  little  alcohol 
and  oil,  without  varnish ;  and  the  varnished  surface 
being  rubbed  over,  with  the  precautions  last  mentioned, 
until  it  is  nearly  dry,  the  effect  of  the  operation  will  be 
seen.  If  it  be  found  not  complete,  the  process  must  be 
continued,  with  the  introduction  of  alcohol  in  its  turn 
as  directed  before,  until  the  surface  becomes  smooth  and 
of  a  beautiful  lustre. 

The  preceding  process  is  that  in  general  use ;  but  Dr. 
Jones  recommends,  in  the  Franklin  Journal ,  a  rubber 
of  a  different  sort,  as  well  as  a  simpler  mode  of  em¬ 
ploying  it.  He  takes  a  piece  of  thick  woollen  cloth,  six 
or  eight  inches  in  diameter,  and  upon  one  side  of  this 
pours  a  tea-spoonful  of  the  varnish;  he  then  collects  the 
edges  together,  so  as  to  enclose  the  varnish  in  the  cloth 
and  form  a  handle  by  which  to  hold  it :  this  is  finally 
covered  with  a  piece  of  oiled  linen  cloth,  and  the  rubber 
is  ready  for  use.  More  varnish  is  added  as  often  as  it  is 
required ;  and  when  it  becomes  occasionally  too  thick  to 
ooze  through,  a  little  alcohol  is  poured  into  the  cloth. 

Some  difficulties  may  be  at  first  experienced  in  per¬ 
forming  this  process;  but  Dr.  Jones  states  that  a  very 
little  practice  will  enable  any  handy  person  to  surmount 
them.  The  peculiar  advantage  said  to  attend  it  is,  that  a 
beautiful  polish  may  be  at  once  obtained  by  a  continued 


AND  VARNISHER  S  COMPANION. 


105 


application  of  tlie  rubber  in  this  way;  while,  according 
to  the  method  previously  described,  successive  coats  of 
varnish,  which  require  considerable  time  to  dry,  must  be 
used,  and  a  great  deal  of  additional  trouble  incurred. 

In  varnishing  recesses  or  carved  work,  where  parts 
of  the  surface  are  difficult  to  reach  with  the  rubber,  a 
spirit  varnish,  made  with  or  without  lac  of  the  usual  gum 
resins,  and  considerably  thicker  than  that  used  for  the 
rest  of  the  work,  may  be  applied  to  those  parts  with  a 
brush  or  hair  pencil. 


Waxing. 

In  some  instances,  the  application  of  wax  merely  is 
preferred  to  a.ny  varnish ;  particularly  in  the  case  of 
chairs,  tables,  &c.,  of  walnut-tree  wood,  in  daily  use. 

Waxing  resists  percussion  and  friction,  but  it  does  not 
possess,  in  the  same  degree  as  varnish,  the  property  of 
giving  lustre  to  the  bodies  to  which  it  is  applied,  and  of 
heightening  their  tints.  The  lustre  created  by  wax  is 
but  dull ;  but  this  inconvenience  is  balanced  by  the  ease 
with  which  any  accidents  that  may  have  effected  its 
polish  can  be  replaced  by  rubbing  it  with  a  piece  of 
fine  cork. 

In  waxing,  it  is  of  great  importance  to  make  the  coat¬ 
ing  as  thin  as  possible,  in  order  that  the  veins  of  the 
wood  may  be  more  distinctly  seen.  I  consider  the 
following  preparation  the  best  for  performing  this 
operation  : — 

Put  two  ounces  of  white  and  yellow  wax  over  a  mode¬ 
rate  fire,  in  a  very  clean  vessel,  and,  when  it  is  quite 


10  6 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


melted,  add  four  ounces  of  the  best  spirits  of  turpentine 
Stir  the  whole  until  it  is  entirely  cool,  and  you  will  have 
a  pomade  fit  for  waxing  furniture,  which  must  be  rubbed 
over  it  according  to  the  usual  method.  The  oil  soon 
penetrates  the  pores  of  the  wood,  brings  out  the  colour 
of  it,  causes  the  wax  to  adhere  better,  and  produce  a 
lustre  equal  to  that  of  varnish,  without  being  subject  to 
any  of  its  inconveniences. 


ANr  varnisher’s  companion. 


107 


PRACTICE  OF  GILDING. 

Gilding  Carved  Wood  with  Water  Size. 

Mix  with  your  preparatory  size  a  sufficient  portion  of 
good  glue,  boiling  hot,  and  lay  it  upon  the  wood  with  a 
brush,  the  bristles  of  which  are  short.  Then  apply  six, 
eight,  or  ten  coats,  equal  in  quantity,  of  the  white  coat¬ 
ing,  and  he  particularly  careful  that  the  projecting  parts 
are  well  covered,  as  the  beauty  of  the  burnish  on  the 
gold  depends  much  on  this.  The  first  coat  should  be 
laid  on  quite  hot,  dabbing  it  with  the  brush  in  such  a 
way  that  it  may  not  be  thicker  in  one  place  than 
another.  The  lower  parts  of  the  carving  must  be  covered 
by  dabbing  it  with  a  smaller  brush.  After  puttiug  on 
one  coat  of  white,  and  before  following  it  with  a  second, 
the  work  should  be  examined,  any  lumps  in  it  reduced, 
and  small  hollows  filled  up  by  a  cement  consisting  of 
whiting  and  glue  kneaded  together.  Let  the  whole  be 
now  rubbed  with  fish-skin,  which  will  remove  every  sort 
of  roughness.  The  second,  third,  and  remaining  coats 
of  white  should  have  the  size  stronger  than  in  the  first 
coat,  yet  all  of  the  same  strength,  otherwise  a  strong 
superior  coat  will  cause  a  weaker  one  under  it  to  scale 
off :  the  operation  of  dabbing  with  the  brush  must  be 
repeated  in  every  successive  coat,  in  order  to  unite  the 
whole,  so  that  they  may  form  a  single  compact  body. 


108 


THE  TAINTER,  GILDER. 


Each  coat  must  also  be  perfectly  dry  before  a  new  one 
is  laid  on.  The  whitened  surface  is  now  to  be  wetted 
with  the  brush  which  has  been  used  for  putting  on  the 
whiting,  dipped  in  fresh  cool  water.  Only  a  small  portion 
should  be  wetted  at  once,  which  should  then  be  rubbed 
down  with  pumice-stone,  made  flat  for  the  parts  which 
require  to  be  of  that  form,  and  round  or  hollow,  as  may 
be  necessary,  for  the  mouldings.  Little  sticks  are  used 
for  clearing  out  those  members  of  the  mouldings  which 
may  have  been  filled  up  by  the  whiting.  The  whitened 
parts  are  to  be  rubbed  lightly,  so  as  to  render  the  sur¬ 
face  smooth  and  even  to  the  touch.  At  the  same  time, 
a  brush  which  has  become  soft  by  using  it  with  the 
whiting  is  employed  to  clear  out  all  the  dirt  which  has 
been  found  in  the  rubbing.  The  moisture  is  now  to  be 
dried  up  with  a  sponge,  and  any  small  grains  which  may 
remain  removed  by  the  finger — a  delicate  and  very  im¬ 
portant  operation.  The  whole  work  is  finally  to  be 
wiped  with  a  piece  of  clean  linen. 

The  work  should  now  be  returned  to  the  carver,  to 
have  the  fine  and  delicate  cutting  of  the  sculptured  parts 
restored.  If  ; the  workman  be  skilful,  he  will  be  able  to 
re-produce  on  the  whiting  every  characteristic  trait  which 
may  happen  to  have  been  obliterated.  Where  bas-re¬ 
liefs  cast  from  moulds  are  laid  on  a  flat  or  carved  sur¬ 
face,  instead  of  the  wood  itself  being  carved,  as  is  now 
very  commonly  the  case,  this  repairing  process  is  un¬ 
necessary. 

A  moistened  cloth  is  now  to  be  passed  over  the  parts 
which  are  to  be  matted  or  burnished,  and  a  soft  moist- 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


109 


ened  brush  over  those  which  have  been  repaired.  The 
whole  is  then  to  be  washed  with  a  soft  sponge,  and  every 
speck  and  hair  carefully  removed.  All  the  even  parts 
should  next  be  smoothed  with  rushes_  taking  care  not  to 
rub  off  the  whiting.  The  colouring  yellow  is  now  to  be 
applied  very  hot,  with  a  soft  clean  brush,  so  as  to  cover 
the  whole  work.  This  application  must  be  lightly  made, 
so  as  not  to  disturb  the  whiting.  The  yellow  tint  serves 
to  cover  those  deep  recesses  into  which  the  gold  cannot 
be  made  to  enter :  it  serves  also  as  a  mordant  for  the 
gold  size.  When  this  yellow  covering  becomes  dry,  the 
whole  surface  is  to  be  again  gently  rubbed  with  rushes, 
to  remove  all  specks  or  hairs  which  may  be  found  or 
it,  and  to  give  a  uniform  surface  without  the  slightesr 
inequality. 

The  gold  size,  which  is  the  next  thing  to  apply,  you 
must  temper  by  mixing  it  with  some  parchment  size 
that  has  been  passed  through  a  fine  sieve.  It  is  to  be 
laid  on  warm,  with  a  small  brush,  the  bristles  of  which 
are  flue,  long,  and  soft :  there  are  brushes  made  for  the 
express  purpose.  Three  coats  of  the  size  will  be  suffi¬ 
cient.  It  is  to  be  applied  generally  to  the  work,  but 
you  need  not  force  it  into  the  deeper  parts.  When  the 
three  coats  of  size  are  quite  dry,  the  larger  and  smoother 
parts,  which  are  intended  to  appear  matted,  are  to  be 
rubbed  with  a  piece  of  new  dry  linen :  this  will  cause 
the  gold  to  extend  itself  evenly,  and  the  water  to  flow 
over  the  sized  surface  without  forming  spots.  To  those 
parts  which  are  not  thus  rubbed,  but  which  are  intended 
to  be  burnished,  you  must  apply  two  additional  coats  of 
10 


.110 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


the  same  tempered  gold  size,  to  which  a  little  water  haa 
been  added  to  render  it  thinner. 

The  work  is  now  read//  for  Gilding. — Take  a  hook  of 
leaf  gold,  place  the  leaves  upon  a  cushion,  cut  them  to  the 
required  size,  and  lay  them  on  the  work  by  means  of 
hair  pencils  of  different  sizes ;  first  wetting  the  part  (but 
that  only)  on  which  the  gold  is  to  be  applied  with  fresh 
and  cool  water.  The  deep  recesses  should  be  gilt  before 
the  more  prominent  parts.  When  the  leaf  is  deposited 
in  its  place,  water  is  applied,  to  make  it  spread  easily, 
by  means  of  a  pencil  behind  it,  but  so  as  it  may  not 
flow,  as  this  would  occasion  spots;  it  should  also  be 
breathed  on  gently,  and  any  waste  water  removed  with 
the  point  of  a  pencil. 

Those  parts  of  the  gilding  which  it  is  wished  to  pre¬ 
serve  of  a  matted  appearance  should  have  a  slight  coat 
of  parchment  size,  which  will  prevent  the  gold  from 
rubbing  off.  The  size  should  be  warm,  but  not  hot, 
and  its  strength  half  as  great  as  that  used  with  the  co¬ 
louring  yellow. 

The  parts  to  which  it  is  desired  to  give  a  more  bril¬ 
liant  appearance  are  burnished  with  a  burnisher  made 
of  wolves’  or  dogs’  teeth,  or  agate,  mounted  in  iron  or 
wooden  handles,  wdiich  must  be  kept,  throughout  the 
process,  perfectly  dry.  The  operation  of  burnishing  is 
very  simple.  Take  hold  of  the  tool  near  to  the  tooth  or 
stone,  and  lean  very  hard  with  it  on  those  parts  which 
are  to  be  burnished,  causing  it  to  glide  by  a  backward 
and  forward  movement,  without  once  taking  it  off  the 
piece  When  it  is  requisite  that  the  hand  should  pass 


AN1)  VARNISHEH’S  C0MPAV10N.  ill 

over  a  large  surface  at  once,  without  losing  its  point  of 
support  on  the  work-bench,  the  workman,  on  taking  hold 
of  the  burnisher,  should  place  it  just  underneath  his 
drtle  finger;  by  this  means  the  work  is  done  quicker, 
and  the  tool  is  more  solidly  fixed  in  the  hand. 

It  will  sometimes  happen  in  gilding  that  small  spots 
on  the  deeper  parts  are  overlooked,  or  that  the  gold  is 
removed  in  some  parts  in  applying  the  matting  size. 
When  this  is  the  case,  small  pieces  of  leaf  gold  are  to 
be  put  on  by  means  of  a  pencil,  after  moistening  the 
deficient  places  with  a  small  brush ;  when  dry,  each  of 
these  spots  should  be  covered  with  a  little  size. 

When  it  is  desired  to  give  the  work  the  appearance 
of  or  moulu,  dip  a  small  fine  pencil  into  the  vermilion¬ 
ing  composition,  and  apply  it  delicately  into  the  inden¬ 
tations  and  such  other  parts,  where  it  will,  by  being 
reflected,  give  a  good  effect  to  the  gold: 

To  bind  and  finish  the  work  well,  a  second  coat  of  the 
matting  size  should  be  passed  over  the  matted  parts,  and 
hotter  than  the  first. 

Gilding  Plaster  or  Marble  with  Water  Size. 

The  chief  difference  to  be  observed  when  plaster  or 
marble  has  to  be  gilt  instead  of  wood,  is  to  exclude  the 
salt  from  the  composition  of  the  preparatory  size,  as  in 
damp  situations  this  would  produce  a  white  efflorescence 
upon  the  surface  of  the  gold.  Two  coats  of  this  size 
_hould  be  laid  on;  the  first  weak,  that  it  may  sink  into 
the  plaster  or  marble  and  moisten  it  perfectly;  the 
second,  strong. 


112 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Gilding  Wood  in  Oil. 

The  wood  must  first  be  covered,  or  primed,  with  two 
or  three  coatings  of  boiled  linseed  oil  and  carbonate  of 
lead;  and,  when  dry,  a  thin  coating  of  gold  oil  size  laid 
upon  it.  In  about  twelve  hours  this  sizing,  if  good, 
will  be  dry,  when  you  may  begin  to  apply  the  gold-leaf, 
dividing  it,  and  laying  it  on  in  the  same  manner  as  in 
the  case  of  the  water-gilding;  with  this  difference,  that 
it  is  to  be  gently  pressed  down  with  a  ball  of  soft  cot¬ 
ton,  when  it  will  instantly  adhere  so  firmly  to  the  size, 
that,  after  a  few  minutes,  the  gentle  application  of  a 
large  camel’s-hair  brush  will  sweep  away  all  the  loose 
particles  of  the  leaf  without  disturbing  the  rest. 

The  advantages  of  this  oil-gilding  are,  that  it  is  easily 
and  quickly  done,  is  very  durable,  is  not  readily  injured 
by  changes  of  weather,  even  when  exposed  to  the  open 
air,  and,  when  soiled,  may  be  cleaned  by  a  little  warm 
water  and  a  soft  brush.  It  cannot,  however,  be  bur¬ 
nished,  and  is,  therefore,  deficient  in  lustre. 

To  gild  Steel. 

Pour  some  of  the  ethereal  solution  of  gold  into  a  wine¬ 
glass,  and  dip  into  it  the  blade  of  a  new  penknife,  lancet, 
or  razor;  withdraw  the  instrument,  and  allow  the  ether 
to  evaporate  :  the  blade  will  then  be  found  covered  with 
a  beautiful  coat  of  gold.  The  blade  may  be  moistened 
with  a  clean  rag,  or  a  small  piece  of  very  dry  sponge 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION. 


113 


dipped  into  the  ether,  and  the  same  effect  will  be  pro¬ 
duced. 


To  gild  Copper,  Brass ,  &c. 

The  gilding  of  these  inferior  metals  and  alloys  of  them 
is  effected  by  the  assistance  of  mercury,  with  which  the 
gold  is  amalgamated.  The  mercury  is  evaporated,  while 
the  gold  is  fixed,  by  the  application  of  heat;  the  whole 
is  then  burnished,  or  left  mat,  in  whole  or  in  part,  ac¬ 
cording  as  required. 

In  the  large  way  of  gilding,  the  furnaces  are  so  con¬ 
trived  that  the  volatilized  mercury  is  again  condensed, 
and  preserved  for  further  use,  so  that  there  is  no  loss  in 
the  operation.  There  is  also  a  contrivance  by  which  the 
volatile  particles  of  mercury  are  prevented  from  injuring 
the  gilders.  ' 


Gilding  Glass  and  Porcelain. 

Dissolve  in  boiled  linseed  oil  an  equal  weight  either 
of  copal  or  amber,  and  add  as  much  oil  of  turpentine  as 
will  enable  you  to  apply  the  compound  or  size  thus 
formed,  as  thin  as  possible,  to  the  parts  of  the  glass  in¬ 
tended  to  be  gilt.  The  glass  is  to  be  placed  in  a  stove, 
till  it  is  so  warm  as  almost  to  burn  the  fingers  when 
handled.  At  this  temperature  the  size  becomes  adhesive, 
and  a  piece  of  leaf  gold,  applied  in  the  usual  way,  will 
immediately  stick.  Sweep  oil'  the  superfluous  portions 
of  lb e  leaf;  and  when  quite  cold  it  may  be  burnished, 


L 14 


tiie  painter,  gilder, 


taking  care  to  interpose  a  piece  of  India  paper  between 
the  gold  and  the  burnisher. 

It  sometimes  happens,  when  the  varnish  is  not  very 
good,  that  by  repeated  washing  the  gold  wears  off ;  on 
this  account  the  practice  of  burning  it  in  is  sometimes 
had  recourse  to.  For  this  purpose,  some  gold-powder 
is  ground  with  borax,  and  in  this  state  applied  to  the 
clean  surface  of  the  glass  by  a  camel’s-hair  pencil;  when 
quite' dry,  the  glass  is  put  into  a  stove,  heated  to  about 
the  temperature  of  an  annealing  oven ;  the  gum  burns 
off,  and  the  borax,  by  vitrifying,  cements  the  gold  with 
great  firmness  to  the  glass ;  after  which  it  may  be  bur¬ 
nished. 

The  gilding  upon  porcelain  is  in  like  manner  fixed  by 
heat  and  the  use  of  borax;  and  this  kind  of  ware,  being 
neither  transparent  nor  liable  to  soften,  and  thus  to  be 
injured  in  its  form  in  a  low  red  heat,  is  free  from  the 
risk  and  injury  which  the  finer  and  more  fusible  kinds 
of  glass  are  apt  to  sustain  from  such  treatment.  Porce¬ 
lain  and  other  wares  may  be  platinized,  silvered,  tiuned, 
or  bronzed,  in  a  similar  manner. 

'  Gilding  Leather. 

In  order  to  impress  gilt  figures,  letters,  and  other 
marks  -upon  leather,  as  on  the  covers  of  books,  edgings 
for  doors,  &c.,  the  leather  must  first  be  dusted  over  with 
very  finely-powdered  yellow  resin,  or  mastic  gum.  The 
iron  tools,  or  stamps,  are  then  arranged  on  a  raeK  before 
a  clear  fire,  so  as  to  be  well  keafed,  without  becoming 


AND  VARNISIIER’S  COMPANION.  115 

red  hot.  If  the  tools  are  letters ,  they  have  an  alphabet! 
cal  arrangement  on  the  rack.  Each  letter  or  stamp 
must  he  tried  as  to  its  heat,  by  imprinting  its  mark  oil 
the  raw  side  of  a  piece  of  waste  leather.  A  little  prac¬ 
tice  will  enable  the  workman  to  judge  of  the  heat.  The 
tool  is  now  to  be  pressed  downwards  on  the  gold  leaf, 
which  will,  of  course,  be  indented  and  show  the  figure 
imprinted  on  it.  The  next  letter  or  stamp  is  now  to  be 
taken  and  stamped  in  like  manner,  and  so  on  .with  the 
others;  taking  care  to  keep  the  letters  in  an  even  line 
with  each  other,  like  those  in  a  book.  By  this  opera¬ 
tion  the  resin  is  melted;  consequently  the  gold  adheres 
to  the  leather.  The  superfluous  gold  may  then  be 
rubbed  off  by  a  cloth,  the  gilded  impressions  remaining 
on  the  leather.  In  this,  as  in  every  other  operation, 
adroitness  is  acquired  by  practice. 

The  cloth  alluded  to  should  be  slightly  greasy  to 
retain  the  gold  wiped  off ;  (otherwise  there  will  be  a  great 
waste  in  a  few  months;)  the  cloth  will  thus  be  soon 
completely  saturated  or  loaded  with  the  gold.  When 
this  is  the  case,  these  cloths  are  generally  sold  to  the 
refiners,  who  burn  them  and  recover  the  gold.  Some  of 
these  afford  so  much  gold  by  burning  as  to  be  worth 
from  a  guinea  to  a  guinea  and  a  half. 

Q  tiding  Writings,  Drawings,  &c.,  on  Paper  or  Parch¬ 
ment. 

Letters  written  on  vellum  or  paper  are  gilded  in  three 
ways.  In  the  first,  a  little  size  is  mixed  with  the  ink 


116 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


and  the  letters  are  written  as  usual;  when  they  are  dry, 
a  slight  degree  of  stickiness  is  produced  by  breathing 
on  them,  upon  which  the  gold  leaf  is  immediately  ap¬ 
plied,  and  by  a  little  pressure  may  be  made  to  adhere 
with  sufficient  firmness.  In  the  second  method,  some 
white  lead  or  chalk  is  ground  up  with  strong  size,  and 
the  letters  are  made  with  this  by  means  of  a  brush. 
When  the  mixture  is  almost  dry,  the  gold  leaf  may  be 
laid  on,  .and  afterwards  burnished.  The  third  method 
is  to  mix  up  some  gold  powder  with  size,  and  to  form 
the  letters  of  this  by  means  of  a  brush. 

Gilding  the  Edges  of  Paper. 

The  edges  of  the  leaves  of  books  arid  letter  paper  are 
gilded  whilst  in  a  horizontal  position  in  the  bookbinder’s 
press,  by  first  applying  a  composition  formed  of  four 
parts  of  Armenian  bole  and  one  of  candied  sugar,  grouud 
together  with  water  to  a  proper  consistence  and  laid  on 
by  a  brush  with  the  white  of  an  egg.  This  coating, 
when  nearly  dry,  is  smoothed  by  the  burnisher.  It  is 
then  slightly  moistened  by  a  sponge  dipped  in  clean 
water,  and  squeezed  in  the  hand.  The  gold  leaf  is  now 
taken  up  on  a  piece  of  cotton,  frtmi  the  leathern  cushion, 
and  applied  on  the  moistened  surface.  When  dry,  it 
is  to  be  burnished  by  rubbing  the  burnisher  over  it  re¬ 
peatedly  from  end  to  end,  taking  care  not  to  wound  the 
surface  by  the  point. 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


]  1 7 


ON  LACQUERING. 

The  general  nature  of  the  compositions  employed  for 
lacquering  has  already  been  explained  under  the  head  of 
Changing  Varnishes.  I  shall  in  this  place  give  some 
particular  receipts  for  preparing  the  lacquers  in  most 
general  use. 


Lacquer  for  Brass. 

Seed-lac,  six  ounces;  amber  or  copal,  ground  on  por 
phyry  or  very  clean  marble,  two  ounces;  dragon’s  bloody 
forty  grains;  extract  of  red  sandal-wood,  thirty  grains; 
oriental  saffron,  thirty-six  grains;  pounded  glass,  four 
ounces;  very  pure  alcohol,  forty  ounces. 

Articles,  or  ornaments  of  brass,  to  which  this  varnish 
is  to  be  applied,  should  be  exposed  to  a  gentle  heat  and 
then  dipped  into  the  varnish.  Two  or  three  coatings 
may  be  thus  applied,  if  necessary. 

Articles  varnished  in  this  manner  may  be  cleaned 
with  water  and  a  bit  of  dry  rag. 

Lacquer  for  Philosophical  Instruments. 

Gamboge,  an  ounce  and  a  half ;  gum  sandrac,  four 
ounces;  gum  elemi,  four  ounces;  best  dragon’s  blood, 


113 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


two  ounces;  terra  merita,*  an  ounce  and  a  half;  oiiental 
saffron,  four  grains ;  seed-lac,  two  ounces;  pounded  glass, 
six  ounces ;  pure  alcohol,  forty  ounces. 

The  dragon’s  blood,  gum  elemi,  seed-lac,  and  gam¬ 
boge  are  all  pounded  and  mixed  with  the  glass.  Over 
them  is  poured  the  tincture  obtained  by  infusing  the 
saffron  and  terra  merita  in  the  alcohol  for  twenty-four 
hours.  This  tincture,  before  being  poured  over  the  dra¬ 
gon’s  blood,  &c.,  should  be  strained  through  a  piece  of 
clean  linen  cloth,  and  strongly  squeezed. 

If  the  dragon’s  blood  gives  too  high  a  colour,  the 
quantity  may  bo  lessened  according  to  circumstances. 
The  same  is  the  case  with  the  other  colouring  matters. 

This  lacquer  has  a  very  good  effect  when  applied  to 
many  cast  or  moulded  articles  used  in  ornamenting  fur¬ 
niture. 

Golcl-coloured  Lacquer  for  Brass  Watch-cases ,  Watcli- 
■  keys,  &c. 

Seed-lac,  six  ounces;  amber,  two  ounces;  gamboge, 
two  ounces;  extract  of  red  sandal-wood  in  water,  twen¬ 
ty-four  grains;  dragon’s  blood,  sixty  grains;  oriental 


*  Terra  merita  is  the  root  of  an  Indian  plant;  it  is  of  a  red 
colour,  and  much  used  in  dyeing.  In  varnishing,  it  is  only  em¬ 
ployed  in  the  form  of  a  tincture,  and  is  particularly  well  adapted 
for  the  mixture  of  those  colouring  parts  which  contribute  the 
most  towards  giving  metals  the  colour  of  gold.  In  choosing  it, 
DC  careful  to  observ*  that  it  is  sound  and  compact 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


Ill) 


saffron,  thirty-six  grains ;  pounded  glass,  four  ounces ; 
pure  alcohox,  'hirty-six  ounces. 

The  seed-lac,  amber,  gamboge,  and  dragon’s  blood 
must  be  peunded  very  fine  on  porphyry  or  clean  marble, 
and  mixed  with  the  pounded  glass.  Over  this  mixture 
is  p'  tred  the  tincture  formed  by  infusing  the  saffron 
and  tnc  extract  of  Sandal-wood  into  the  alcohol,  in  the 
manner  directed  in  the  last  receipt.  The  varnishing  is 
completed  as  before. 

Metal  articles  that  are  to  be  covered  with  +his  varnish 
are  heated,  and,  if  they  are  of  a  kind  to  admit  of  it,  are 
immersed  in  packets.  The  tint  of  the  varnish  may  be 
varied  in  any  degree  required,  by  altering  the  propor¬ 
tions  of  the  colouring  quantities  according  to  circum¬ 
stances. 

To  make.  Lacquer  of  various  7ir‘(s. 

For  this  purpose,  make  use  of  the  receipt  given  under 
the  head  of  Changing  Varnishes.  * 

To  clean  old  Brass  Work  for  Lacquering. 

First  boil  a  strong  lye  of  wood-ashes,  which  you  may 
strengthen  with  soap-lees  ;  put  in  your  brass  work,  and 
the  lacquer  will  immediately  come  off;  then  have  ready 
a  pickle  of  aqua-fortis  and  water,  strong  enough  to  take 
off  the  dirt;  wash  it  immediately  in  clean  water,  dry  it 
well,  and  lacquer  it. 


120 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


BRONZING. 

This  art  is  nothing  but  a  species  of  painting ;  but  far 
from  being  of  the  most  delicate  kind.  The  principal 
ingredients  made  use  of  in  it  are  the  true  gold  powder, 
the  German  gold,  the  aurum  mosaicum,  (all  before 
described,)  and  copper  powder.  This  last  may  be  pro- 
curect.by  dissolving  filings  or  slips  of  copper  with  nitrous 
acid  in  a  receiver.  When  the  acid  is  saturated,  the 
slips  are  to  be  removed;  or,  if  filings  be  employed,  the 
solution  is  to  be  poured  off  from  what  remains  undis- 
splved.  Small  bars  are  then  put  iu,  which  will  preci¬ 
pitate  the  copper  from  the  saturated  acid,  in  a  powder 
of  the  peculiar  appearance  and  colour  of  copper;  and 
the  liquid  being  poured  from  the  powder,  this  is  to  be 
washed  clean  off  the  crystals  by  repeated  levigations. 

The  choice  of  these  powders  is,  of  course,  to  be  deter¬ 
mined  by  the  degree  of  brilliancy  you  wish  to  obtain. 
The  powder  is  mixed  with  strong  gum  water  or  isinglass, 
and  laid  on  with  a  brush  or  pencil;  or,  a  coating  of  gold- 
size,  prepared  with  a  due  proportion  of  turpentine,  is 
first  applied;  and  when  not  so  dry  as  to  have  still  a 
certain  clamminess,  a  piece  of  soft  leather,  wrapped 
round  the  finger,  is  dipped  in  the  powder  and  rubbed 
over  the  work.  When  the  work  has,  in  either  of  these 
ways,  been  all  covered  with  the  bronze,  it  must  be  left 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  121 

to  dry,  and  any  loose  powder  then  cleared  away  by  a 
hair  pencil. 

Bronzing  in  wood  may  be  effected  by  a  process  some¬ 
what  differing  from  the  above.  Prussian  blue,  patent 
yellow,  raw  amber,  lamp-black,  and  pipe-clay  are  ground 
separately  with  water  on  a  stone,  and  as  much  of  them 
as  will  make  a  good  colour  put  into  a  small  vessel,  three- 
fourths  full  of  size,  not  quite  so  strong  as  what  is  called 
clean  size.  This  mixture  is  found  to  succeed  best  on 
using  about  half  as  much  more  pipe-clay  as  of  any  of  the 
other  ingredients.  The  wood  being  previously  cleaned 
and  smoothed,  and  coated  with  a  mixture  of  clean  size 
and  lamp-black,  receives  a  new  coating  with  the  above 
compound  twice  successively,  having  allowed  the  first 
to  dry.  Afterwards  the  bronze-powder  is  to  be  laid  on 
with  a  pencil,  and  the  whole  burnished  or  cleaned  anew, 
observing  to  repair  the  parts  which  may  be  injured  by 
this  operation.  Next,  the  work  must  be  coated  over 
with  a  thin  lather  of  Castile  soap ;  which  will  take  off 
the  glare  of  the  burnishing,  and  afterwards  be  carefully 
rubbed  with  a  woollen  cloth.  The  superfluous  powder 
may  be  rubbed  off  when  dry. 

In  bronzing  iron,  the  subject  should  be  heated  to  a 
greater  degree  than  the  hand  can  bear;  and  German 
gold,  mixed  with  a  small  quantity  of  spirit-of-wine  var¬ 
nish,  spread  over  it  with  a  pencil.  Should  the  iron  be 
already  polished,  you  must  heat  it  well  and  moisten  it 
with  a  linen  rag  dipped  in  vinegar. 

There  is  a  method  of  bronzing  casts  of  plaster  of  Paris 
analogous  to  that  which  we  have  above  given  for  bronz- 
u 


122 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


mg  wood  ;  but  it  is  not  in  much  reputr  £„eli  u  .  t 
may  be  beautifully  varnished  by  means  of  the  following 
composition,  recommended  by  Dr.  Johns,  of  Manchester, 
England,  in  the  Mechanics’  Magazine,  vol.  iv.  pp.  3 Oil, 
352.  Of  white  soap  and  white  wax,  take  each  half  an 
ounce;  of  water,  two  pints;  boil  them  togthcr  for  a 
short  time  in  a  clean  vessel.  This  varnish  is  to  be 
applied  when  cold,  by  means  of  a  soft  brush.  It  does 
not  sink  in ;  it  readily  dries ;  and  its  effect  may  be 
heightened  by  lightly  using  a  silk  pocket  handkerchief. 


AND  VARNISHED  COMPANION. 


123 


JAPANNING. 

All  wood  work  intended  to  be  japanned  must  be 
prepared  with  size,  and  some  coarse  material  mixed  with 
it  to  till  up  and  harden  the  grain  of  the  wood,  (such  as 
may  best  suit  the  colour  intended  to  be  laid  on,)  which 
must  be  rubbed  smooth  with  glass  paper  when  dry.  In 
cases  of  accident,  it  is  seldom  necessary  to  re-size  the 
damaged  places,  unless  they  are  considerable. 

Be  very  careful,  in  japanning,  to  grind  your  colours 
smooth  in  spirit  of  turpentine ;  then  add  a  small  quan¬ 
tity  of  turpentine  and  spirit  varnish ;  lay  it  carefully  on 
with  a  camel-hair  brush,  and  varnish  it  with  brown  or 
white  spirit  varnish,  according  to  the  colour. 

Colours  required  in  Japanning. 

Flake  white,  red  lead,  vermilion,  lake,  Prussian  blue, 
patent  yellow,  orpiment,  ochres,  verditers,  Vandyke, 
brown,  umber,  lamp-black,  and  siennas  raw  and  burnt 
With  these  you  may  match  almost  any  colours  in  gene¬ 
ral  use  in  japanning.  For  a  black  japan,  it  will  be 
found  sufficient  to  mix  a  little  gold-size  with  lamp-black; 
this  will  bear  a  good  gloss,  without  requiring  to  be  var¬ 
nished  afterwards. 


124 


THE  PAINTER,  GIRDER, 


To  prepare  a  fine  Tortoise-shell  Japan  ground  by  means 
of  Heat . 

Take  one  gallon  of  good  linseed  oil,  and  half  a  pound 
of  umber ;  boil  them  together  till  the  oil  becomes  very 
brown  and  thick  :  then  strain  it  through  a  coarse  cloth, 
and  set  it  again  to  boil;  in  which  state  it  must  be  con¬ 
tinued  till  it  acquire  a  consistence  resembling  that  of 
pitch  ;  it  will  then  be  fit  for  use. 

Having  thus  prepared  the  varnish,  clean  well  the  sub¬ 
stance  which  is  to  be  japanned.  Then  lay  vermilion 
tempered  with  shell-lac  varnish  or  with  drying  oil  very 
thinly  diluted  with  oil  of  turpentine,  on  the  places  in¬ 
tended  to  imitate  the  more  transparent  parts  of  the  tor¬ 
toise-shell.  When  the  vermilion  is  dry,  brush  the  whole 
over  with  black  varnish,  tempered  to  a  due  consistence 
with  the  oil  of  turpentine.  When  set  and  firm,  put  the 
work  into  a  stove,  where  it  may  undergo  a  very  strong 
heat,  which  must  be  continued  a  considerable  time;  if 
even  three  weeks  or  a  month  it  will  be  the  better. 

This  tortoise-shell  ground  is  not  less  valuable  for  its 
great  hardness,  and  enduring  to  be  made  hotter  than 
boiling  water  without  damage,  than  for  the  superioi 
beauty  and  brilliancy  of  its  appearance. 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


125 


FOILS. 

Foils  are  thin  plates  or  leaves  of  metal  that,  are  pnt, 
under  stones,  or  compositions  in  imitation  of  stones, 
when  they  are  set,  either  to  increase  the  lustre  and  play 
of  the  stones,  or  more  generally  to  improve  the  colour, 
by  giving  an  additional  force  to  the  tinge,  whether  it  be 
natural  or  artificial,  by  a  ground  of  the  same  hue. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  foils.  One  is  colourless, 
where  the  effect  of  giving  lustre  to  the  stone  is  produced 
by  the  polish  of  the  surface,  making  it  act  as  a  mirror, 
and,  by  reflecting  the  light,  preventing  the  deadness 
which  attends  a  duller  ground  under  the  stone,  and 
bringing  it  nearer  to  the  effect  of  the  diamond.  The 
other  is  coloured  with  some  pigment  or  stain,  either  of 
the  same  hue  as  the  stone,  or  of  some  other,  which  is 
intended  to  change  the  hue  of  the  stone  in  some  degree; 
thus,  a  yellow  foil  may  be  put  under  green  which  is  too 
much  inclined  to  blue,  or  under  crimson,  where  it  is  de¬ 
sired  to  have  the  appearance  of  orange  or  scarlet. 

Foils  may  be  made  of  copper  or  tin.  Silver  has  been 
sometimes  used,  and  even  gold  mixed  with  it;  but  the 
expense  of  either  is  needless,  as  copper  may  be  made  to 
answer  the  same  end. 

Copper  intended  for  foils  is  prepared  by  taking  cop¬ 
per  plates  beaten  to  a  proper  thickness,  passing  them 
betwixt  a  pair  of  fine  steel  rollers  very  closely  set,  and 
n* 


32G 


THE  PAINTER,  OTT/DTO. 


drawing  them  as  thin  as  possible.  They  are  polished 
with  very  fine  whiting,  or  rotten-stone,  till  they  shine, 
and  have  as  much  brightness  as  can  be  given  them,  and 
then  they  will  be  fit  to  receive  the  colour.  If  they  are 
intended  for  a  purple  or  crimson  colour,  the  foils  should 
first  be  whitened  in  the  following  manner :  Take  a  small 
quantity  of  silver,  and  dissolve  it  in  a  qua -forth  ;  tnen 
put  bits  of  copper  into  the  solution,  and  precipitate  the 
silver ;  which  being  done,  the  fluid  must  be  poured  off, 
and  fresh  water  added  to  it  to  wash  away  all  the  re¬ 
mainder  of  the  first  fluid;  after  which  the  silver  must 
be  dried,  and  an  equal  weight  of  cream  of  tartar  and 
common  salt  ground  with  it,  till  the  whole  is  reduced  to 
a  very  fine  powder.  With  this  mixture,  the  foils, 
slightly  moistened,  must  be  rubbed  by  the  finger,  or  a 
bit  of  linen  rag,  till  they  are  of  the  degree  of  whiteness 
desired. 

The  manner  of  preparing  foils,  so  as  to  give  colourless 
stones  the  greatest  degree  of  play  and'  lustre,  by  raising 
so  high  a  polish  or  smoothness  on  the  surface  as  in  many 
instances  to  nearly  resemble  the  effect  of  diamonds,  I 
shall  not  here  detail,  as  it  is  not  one  in  which  the  gene¬ 
ral  occupations  of  the  Painter,  Yarnisher,  or  Gilder, 
would  be  of  assistance.  The  method  of  colouring  these 
substances  I  shall  here  describe. 


To  Colour  Foils. 

Two  methods  have  been  invented  for  colouring  foils; 
the  one  by  tinging  the  surface  of  the  copper  with  the 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION.  127 

colour  required  by  means  of  smoke,  the  other  by  stain¬ 
ing  or  painting  it  with  some  colouring  substance. 

The  colours  used  for  painting  foils  may  be  mixed 
with  either  oil,  water  rendered  glutinous  by  gum-arabic, 
size,  or  varnish.  Where  deep  colours  are  wanted,  oil 
is  most  proper,  because  some  pigments  become  wholly 
transparent  in  it,  as  lake  or  Prussian  blue :  the  yellow 
and  green  may  be  better  laid  on  in  varnish,  as  these 
colours  may  be  had  in  perfection  from  a  tinge  wholly 
dissolved  in  spirit  of  wine,  in  the  same  manner  as  in 
the  case  of  lacquers ;  and  the  most  beautiful  green  is  to 
be  produced  by  distilled  verdigris,  which  is  apt  to  loso 
its  colour  and  turn  black  with  oil.  In  common  ca^es, 
however,  any  of  the  colours  may  be,  with  the  least 
trouble,  laid  on  with  isinglass  size,  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  glazing  colours  used  in  miniature  painting. 

Where  the  ruby  is  to  be  imitated,  a  little  lake  used 
in  isinglass  size,  carmine,  or  shell-lac  varnish,  is  to  be 
employed,  if  the  glass  or  paste  be  of  a  full  crimson, 
verging  towards  the  purple ;  but  if  the  glass  incline  to 
the  scarlet,  or  orange,  very  bright  lake,  not  purple,  may 
be  used  alone  in  oil. 

For  garnet  red,  dragon’s  blood  dissolved  in  seed-lac 
varnish  may  be  used;  and  for  the  vinegar  garnet ,  the 
orange  lake,  tempered  with  shell-lac  varnish,  will  be 
found  excellent. 

For  the  amethyst,  lake,  with  a  little  Prussian  blue, 
used  with  oil,  and  very  thinly  spread  on  the  foil,  will 
answer. 

For  blue,  where  a.  deep  colour  or  sapphire  is  wanted, 


128 


THE  PAINTER,  filLDER, 


Prussian  blue,  not  too  deep,  sliould  be  used  in  oil,  and 
be  spread  more  or  less  thinly  on  the  foil,  according  to 
the  lightness  or  deepness  of  the  colour  required. 

For  eagle  marine,  common  verdigris,  with  a  little 
Prussian  blue,  tempered  in  shell-lac  varnish. 

Where  a  full  yellow  is  desired,  the  foil  may  be  co¬ 
loured  with  a  yellow  lacquer,  laid  on  as  for  other  pur¬ 
poses.  For  light  yellows,  the  copper  ground  of  the  foil 
itself,  properly  burnished,  will  be  sufficient. 

For  green ,  where  a  deep  hue  is  required,  the  crystals 
of  verdigris,  tempered  in  shell-lac  varnish,  should  be 
used ;  but  where  the  emerald  is  to  be  imitated,  a  little 
yellow  lacquer  should  be  added,  to  bring  the  colour  to  a 
truer  green,  and  less  verging  to  the  blue. 

The  stones  of  more  diluted  colour,  such  as  the  ame¬ 
thyst,  topaz,  vinegar  garnet,  and  eagle  marine,  may  be 
very  cheaply  imitated  by  transparent  white  glass  or 
paste,  even  without  foils.  This  is  to  be  done  by  tem- 
pei-ing  the  colours  above  mentioned  with  turpentine  and 
mastic,  and  painting  the  socket  in  which  the  counterfeit 
stone  is  to  be  set  with  the  mixture,  the  socket  and  stone 
itself  being  previously  heated.  In  this  case,  however, 
the  stone  should  be  immediately  set,  and  the  socket 
closed  upon  it  before  the  mixture  cools  and  grows  hard. 
The  orange  lake,  mentioned  under  the  head  of  garnet 
red,  was  invented  for  this  purpose,  in  which  it  has  a 
beautiful  effect,  and  has  been  used  with  great  success. 
The  colour  it  produces  is  that  of  the  vinegar  garnet, 
which  it  affords  with  great  brightness. 

The  colours  before  directed  to  be  used  in  oil  should 


AND  VARNISHER  S  COMPANION. 


129 


be  extremely  well  ground  in  oil  of  turpentine,  and  tem¬ 
pered  with  oil — nut  or  poppy  oil;  or,  if  time  can  be 
given  for  their  drying,  with  strong  fat  oil,  diluted  with 
spirits  of  turpentine,  which  will  gain  a  fine  polish  of 
itself.  The  colours  used  in  varnish  should  be  likewise 
thoroughly  well  ground  and  mixed ;  and  in  the  case  of 
dragon’s  blood  in  the  seed- lac  varnish  and  the  lacquer, 
the  foils  should  be  warmed  before  they  are  laid  out. 
All  the  mixtures  should  be  laid  on  the  foils  with  a  broad 
soft  brush,  which  must  be  passed  from  one  end  to  the 
1  other,  and  no  part  should  be  crossed  or  twice  gone  over 
— or,  at  least,  not  till  the  first  coat  be  dry  ;  when,  if  the 
odour  does  not  lie  enough,  a  second  coat  may  be  given. 


130 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


FISII  OIL  COLOURS. 

Various  coarse  paints,  applicable  to  out-door  work, 
aud  of  great  cheapness  and  durability,  may  be  made 
with  fish  oil,  according  to  the  following  processes : — 

To  prepare  ilie  Oil. 

Into  a  cask  which  will  contain  about  forty  gallons,  put 
thirty-two  gallons  of  good  common  vinegar;  add  to  this 
twelve  poitnds  of  litharge,  and  twelve  pounds  of  white 
copperas  in  powder  :  bung  up  the  vessel,  and  shake  and 
roll  it  well  twice  a-day  for  a  week,  when  it  will  be  fit  to 
put  into  a  ton  of  whale,  cod,  or  seal  oil,  (but  the  South¬ 
ern  whale  oil  is  to  be  preferred,  on  account  of  its  good 
colour  and  little  or  no  smell :)  shake  and  mix  all  to¬ 
gether,  when  it  may  settle  until  the  next  day;  then 
pour  off  the  clear,  which  will  be  about  seven-eighths  of 
the  whole.  To  clear  this  part,  add  twelve  gallons  of 
linseed  oil,  and  two  gallons  of  spirit  of  turpentine;  shake, 
them  well  together,  and,  after  the  whole  has  settled  two 
or  three  days,  it  will  be  fit  to  grind  white  lead  and  all 
fine. colours  in;  and,  when  ground,  cannot  be  distin¬ 
guished  from  those  ground  in  linseed  oil,  unless  by  the 
superiority  of  colour. 

If  the  oil  be  wanted  only  for  coarse  purposes,  the  lin¬ 
seed  oil  and  oil  of  turpentine  may  be  added  at  the  same 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


131 


time  that  the  prepared  vinegar  is  put  in ;  and,  after 
being  well  shaken  up,  is  fit  for  immediate  use,  without 
being  suffered  to  settle. 

The  residue  or  bottom,  when  settled  by  the  addition 
of  half  its  quantity  of  fresh  lime-water,  forms  an  excel¬ 
lent  oil  for  mixing  with  all  the  coarse  paints  for  preserv¬ 
ing  outside  work. 

All  colours  ground  in  the  above  oil,  and  used  for  in¬ 
side  work,  must  be  thinned  with  linseed  oil  and  oil  of 
turpentine. 


Gain  by  the  above  process. 

One  ton  of  fish  oil,  or  252  gallons  .  .  $151  20 

32  gallons  of  vinegar,  at  12 £  cents  per  gallon  .  4  00 

12  lbs.  litharge,  at  7  cts.  per  lb.  .  .  84 

12  lbs.  white  copperas,  at  8  cts.  ditto  .  .  96 

12  gallons  of  linseed  oil,  at  90  cts.  per  gallon  10  80 
2  gallons  of  spirit  of  turpentine,  at  40  cts.  80 


$168  60 

252  gallons  of  fish  oil 
12  ditto  linseed  oil 
2  ditto  spirit  of  turpentine 
32  ditto  vinegar 

298  gallons,  at  90  cts.  per  gallon  $268  20 
Deduct  the  expense  .  .  168  60 

$99  60 


132 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Preparation  and  Cost  of  particular  Colours. 


I. — Subdued  Green. 


Fresh  lime-water,  6  gallons  . 

.  $ 

06 

Road  dirt,  finely  sifted,  112  pounds  . 

• 

10 

Whiting,  112  ditto 

.  1 

12 

Blue-black,  80  ditto 

1 

50 

Wet  blue,  20  ditto 

.  4 

00 

Residue  of  the  oil,  3  gallons 

1 

50 

Yellow  ochre  in  powder,  24  pounds 

.  1 

20 

§9 

48 

This  composition  will  weigh  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  pounds,  which  is  a  little  more  than  two  and  a  half 
cents  per  pound.  To  render  the  above  paint  fit  for  use, 
to  every  eight  pounds  add  one  quart  of  the  incorporated 
oil,  and  one  quart  of  linseed  oil,  and  it  will  be  found  a 
paint  with  every  requisite  quality,  as  well  of  beauty  as 
of  durability  and  cheapness,  and  in  this  state  of  prepara¬ 
tion  does  not  cost  five  cents  per  pound. 

The  following  is  the  mode  of  mixing  the  ingredients  : — 
First  pour  six  gallons  of  lime-water  into  a  large  tub, 
then  throw  in  one  hundred  and  twelve  pounds  of  whit¬ 
ing  ;  stir  it  round  well  with  a  stirrer,  let  it  settle  for 
about  an  hour,  and  stir  it  again.  The  painter  may  then 
put  in  the  one  hundred  and  twelve  pounds  of  road  dirt, 
mix  it  well,  and  add  the  blue-black,  after  which  the 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


13a 


yellow  ochre  ;  and  when  all  is  tolerably  blended,  take  it 
out  of  the  tub,  and  put  it  on  a  large  board  or  platform, 
and,  with  a  labourer’s  shovel,  mix  and  work  it  about  as 
they  do  mortar.  Now  add  the  wet  blue,  which  must  be 
previously  ground  in  the  incorporated  oil,  (as  it  will  not 
grind  or  mix  with  any  other  oil.)  When  this  is  added 
to  the  mass,  you  may  begin  to  thin  it  with  the  incorpo¬ 
rated  oil,  in  the  proportion  of  one  quart  to  every  eight 
pounds,  and  then  the  linseed  oil  in  the  same  proportion, 
and  it  is  ready  to  be  put  into  casks  for  use. 


II. — Lead  Colour. 


Whiting,  112  pounds 

. 

n  12 

Blue-back,  5  ditto 

. 

25 

Lead  ground  in  oil,  28  ditto 

• 

2  24 

Road  dirt,  56  ditto 

•  • 

10 

Lime-water,  5  gallons 

• 

05 

Residue  of  the  oil,  2  -£  ditto  . 

. 

1  25 

Weighs  256  pounds 

$5  01 

To  the  above  add  two  gallons  of  the  incorporated  oil. 
and  two  gallons  of  linseed  oil  to  thin  it  for  use,  and  it 
will  not  exceed  two  cents  and  a  quarter. 

The  lime-water,  whiting,  road  dirt,  and  blue-black 
must  be  first  mixed  together;  then  add  the  ground  lead, 
first  blending  it  with  two  gallons  and  a  half  of  the  pre¬ 
pared  fish  oil;  after  which,  thin  the  whole  with  the  two 
gallons  of  linseed  oil  and  two  gallons  of  incorporated  oil, 
12 


134 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


and  it  will  be  fit  for  use.  For  garden  doors  and  other 
work  liable  to  be  in  constant  use,  a  little  spirits  of  tur¬ 
pentine  may  be  added  to  the  paint  whilst  laying  on, 
which  will  have  the  desired  effect. 

III. — Bright  Green. 

112  pounds  yellow  ochre  in  powder,  at  5  cents 


per  pound  .  .  .  .  .  .  $5  60 

168  ditto  road  dust  .....  25 

112  ditto  wet  blue,  at  20  cts.  per  pound  .  22  40 

10  ditto  blue-black,  at  5  cts.  ditto  .  .  50 

6  gallons  of  lime-water  ....  06 

4  ditto  fish  oil,  prepared  .  .  .  .  2  40 

ditto  incorporated  oil  .  .  .  4  28 

7  2  ditto  linseed  oil,  at  90  cts.  per  gallon  .  6  75 


592  pounds  weight  842  24 


It  will  be  seen  that  the  bright  green  costs  but  about 
seven  cents  per  pound,  ready  to  lay  on;  and  the  inventor 
challenges  any  colourman  or  painter  to  produce  a  green 
equal  to  it  for  five  times  the  price. 

After  painting,  the  colour  left  in  the  pot  may  be 
covered  with  water  to  prevent  it  from  skinning,  and  the 
brushes,  as  usual,  should  be  cleaned  with  the  painting- 
knife  and  kept  under  water. 

A  brighter  green  maybe  formed  by  omitting  the  blue 
black. 

A  lighter  green  may  be  made  by  the  addition  of  ten 
pounds  of  ground  w'hite  lead. 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


135 


A  variety  of  greens  may  be  obtained  by  varying  the 
proportions  of  the  blue  and  yellow. 

Observe  that  the  wet  blue  must  be  ground  with  the 
incorporated  oil,  preparatory  to  its  being  mixed  with  the 
mass. 


IV. — Stone  Colour. 


Lime-water,  4  gallons 

$  04 

Whiting,  112  pounds  . 

.  1  12 

White  lead,  ground,  28  pounds  . 

2  24 

Road  dust,  56  pounds  . 

10 

Prepared  fish  oil,  2  gallons 

1  20 

Incorporated  oil,  31  gallons  . 

.  2  00 

Linseed  oil,  3j  ditto  .... 

3  15 

Weighs  293  pounds 

§9  85 

The  above  stone  colour,  fit  for  use,  is 

not  three  and 

a  half  cents  per  pound. 


V. — Brown  Red. 


Lime-water,  8  gallons 

00 

o 

Spanish  brown,  112  pounds  . 

.  3  36 

Road  dust,  224  pounds  . 

40 

4  gallons  of  fish  oil 

.  2  40 

4  ditto  incorporated  oil 

2  28 

4  ditto  linseed  oil  . 

.  3  60 

Weighs  501  pounds 

$12  12 

13G 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


This  paint  is  scarcely  two  and  a  half  cents  per  pound 
The  Spanish  brown  must  be  in  powder. 

VI.  — A  good  chocolate  colour  is  made  by  the  addition 
of  blue-black,  in  powder,  or  lamp-black,  till  the  colour 
is  to  the  painter’s  mind ;  and  a  lighter  brown  may  be 
formed  by  adding  ground  white  lead.  By  ground  lead, 
is  meant  white  lead  ground  in  oil. 

VII.  — Yellow  is  prepared  with  yellow  ochre  in  pow¬ 
der,  in  the  same  proportion  as  Spanish  brown. 

VIII.  — Black  is  also  prepared  in  the  same  proportion, 
using  lamp-black  or  blue-black. 


AND  VARNTSHEIi’s  COMPANION. 


137 


GLASS-STAINING. 

In  the  production  of  figures  on  glass,  fragments  of 
coloured  glass  are  used,  which  are  cut  in  pieces  of  the 
proper  shape,  and  united  by  lead.  In  this  way  are 
formed  the  ground  tints,  skies,  draperies,  ornaments, 
&c.  The  shades,  heads,  hands,  &c.,  are  then  painted 
in  verifiable  colours,  which,  after  being  laid  on,  are  burnt 
or  fired  into  the  glass.  The  precaution  should  be  ob¬ 
served  in  joining  the  pieces  of  coloured  glass,  that  the 
lead  joints  do  not  interfere  with  the  effect  of  the  picture. 
That  which  characterizes  painting  on  glass,  and  dis¬ 
tinguishes  it  from  painting  on  porcelain,  is  that  the 
artist  makes  use  of  both  surfaces  of  the  glass.  The  sui- 
face  placed  towards  the  spectator  receives  all  the  shades, 
which  are  thus  rendered  more  life-like  and  better  de¬ 
fined.  All  the  shading  colours  are  likewise  placed  on 
this  side;  all  the  lights  of  the  picture  are  thrown  on 
the  other  side.  By  this  means  colours  may  be  used 
which  would  be  injured  by  contact  with  each  other, 
and  the  superposition  of  which  would  produce  peculiar 
tints  not  desirable. 

The  pigments  used  in  painting  on  glass  arc  principally 
metallic  oxides  and  chlorides,  and  as,  in  most  of  these, 
the  colour  is  not  brought  out  until  after  the  painting 
is  submitted  to  heat,  it  is  necessary  to  ascertain  before¬ 
hand  if  the  colours  are  properly  mixed,  by  painting  on 
12# 


138 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


slips  of  glass,  and  exposing  them  to  heat  in  the  muffle. 
The. painter  is  guided  by  these  trial  pieces,  in  laying  on 
his  colours.  As  the  effect  of  a  picture  on  glass  is  pro¬ 
duced  by  transmitted  and  not  by  reflected  light,  it  is 
necessary  that  the  colours,  after  being  burnt  on,  should 
be  more  or  less  transparent. 

As  the  coloured  glass  which  forms  the  ground  on 
which  the  artist  works  is  manufactured  in  glass-works, 
and  is  an  article  of  commerce,  it  is  necessary  to  consider 
here  only  the  colours  which  are  burnt  on  in  the  muffle. 
The  temperature  at  which  these  are  burnt  on  is  never 
raised  above  the  melting  point  of  silver. 

In  oil  and  water-colour  paintings,  the  pigments  are 
rubbed  up  with  oil,  solutions  of  gum,  water,  &c.  In 
painting  on  glass,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  proper  vehicle 
for  the  colours,  which  will  become  liquid  at  a  red  heat, 
and  which  performs  the  same  function  as  oils,  &c.,  in  or¬ 
dinary  painting.  This  vehicle  is  called  a  flux.  It  en¬ 
velops  the  colour  which  is  mechanically  mixed  with  it, 
and  glues  it,  as  it  were,  to  the  glass.  The  colour  and 
the  flux  are  often  confounded,  however,  under  the  name 
of  vitrifiable  colours,  which  are  mixtures  of  colour  and 
flux.  The  vehicle  or  flux  varies  with  colour,  but  these 
variations  are  very  limited,  as  the  colours  ought  to  be 
capable  of  mixing  with  each  other.  The  flux  ordinarily 
employed  is  a  simple  silicate  of  lead,  or  a  mixture  of 
silicate  of  lead  and  borax.  Experiment  has  shown  that 
potash  and  soda  cannot  be  substituted  for  borax.  The 
following  are  the  proportions  of  the  ingredients  of  vari¬ 
ous  fluxes : — 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


]«9 


No.  1. 

Minium  or  red  lead  .  .  .3  parts. 

White  sand  washed  ...  1  part. 

This  mixture  is  melted,  by  which  it  is  converted  into 
a  greenish-yellow  glass. 

No.  2. — Gray  Flux. 

Of  No.  1 . 8  parts. 

Fused  borax  in  powder  .  .  1  part. 

This  mixture  is  melted. 


No.  3. — Flux  for  Carmines  \ and  Greens  . 

Fused  borax  .  .  .  .5  parts. 

Calcined  flint  .  .  .  .  3  “ 

Pure  minium  .  .  .  .1  part. 

This  mixture  is  also  melted. 

The  various  colours  used  in  glass-painting  are  obtained 
from  the  following  substances  : — 

The  blue  on  glass  is  produced  with  cobalt  ;  th e  purples, 
violets ,  and  carmines,  with  the  purple  of  Cassius ;  the 
reds,  browns,  &c.,  with  the  peroxide  of  iron ;  the  greens 
with  the  silicate  of  copper,  sometimes  with  the  oxide  of 
chromium,  (in  glass-painting,  greens  of  copper  are  pre¬ 
ferred  to  those  of  chromium,  on  account  of  their  greater 
transparency,)  often  with  a  mixture  of  blue  and  yellow ; 
the  blades,  grays,  &c.,  with  the  oxides  of  manganese, 


110 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


cobalt,  and  iron  ;  the  yellows  with  the  oxide  of  uranium, 
the  chromate  of  lead,  certain  combinations  of  silver ; 
finally,  the  compounds  of  antimonious  acid,  and  of  ox¬ 
ide  of  lead,  or  of  the  subsulphate  of  iron. 

Beautiful  yellow  tones  may  be  produced  on  glass  by 
placing  on  its  surface  a  layer  of  three  parts  of  pipe-clay, 
well  burnt  and  pounded,  and  rubbed  up  with  one  part  of 
chloride  of  silver.  The  glass  is  then  submitted  to  heat 
in  a  muffle.  After  cooling,  the  layer  of  clay  is  removed, 
and  the  glass  is  stained  yellow.  The  tint  depends  on 
the  nature  of  the  glass  and  the  proportion  of  chloride 
of  silver.  Glass,  containing  about  eight  or  ten  per  cent, 
of  alumina,  takes  a  more  beautiful  tint  than  glass  con¬ 
taining  only  two  or  three  per  cent. 

The  following  arc  some  of  the  colours  used  in  the 
celebrated  porcelain  manufactory  of  Sevres,  and  the  pro¬ 
portions  in  which  they  are  compounded.  These  colours, 
though  intended  for  painting  on  porcelain,  are  nearly  all 
applicable  to  painting  on  glass. 


Blues  are  obtained  with  the  silicate  of  cobalt. 
The  oxide  of  cobalt  must  be  in  the  state  of  silicate,  in 
order  that  the  blue  colour  be  developed.  The  colour, 
once  produced,  is  unalterable  at  all  temperatures. 


No.  1. — Indigo  Blue. 

Oxide  of  cobalt  ....  1  part. 

Flux  No.  8  ....  2  parts. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


141 


No.  2. —  Turquoise  Blue. 

Oxide  of  cobalt  .  .  .  .1  part. 

Oxide  of  zinc  .  .  .  3  or  4  parts. 

Flux  No.  3  .  .  .  .  6  “ 

Melt  and  pour  out.  If  it  is  not  sufficiently  green, 
increase  the  zinc  and  flux. 

No.  3. — Azure  Blue. 

Oxide  of  cobalt  ....  1  part. 

Oxide  of  zinc  ....  2  parts. 

Flux  No.  2 . 8  “ 

Melt  them  together. 

No.  4. — Deep  Azure  Blue. 

Oxide  of  cobalt  .  .  .  .1  part. 

Oxide  of  zinc  .  .  .  .  2  parts. 

Flux  No.  2  .  .  .  .  5  “ 

The  beauty  of  this  colour  depends  on  the  proportion 
of  flux.  .  As  little  as  possible  is  to  be  used ;  it  must, 
however,  be  brilliant.  Sometimes  less  is  used  than  the 
proportion  indicated. 

No.  5. — Sky  Blue,  for  the  Browns, 

Oxide  of  cobalt  .  .  .  .1  part. 

Oxide  of  zinc  ....  2  parts. 

Flux  No.  2 . 12  “ 

Pound  up,  melt,  and  pour  out. 


142 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


No  6. —  Violet,  Blue,  for  ground  colour. 

Blue  No.  5 . 4  parts. 

Yiolet  of  gold,  No.  31  .  2  “ 

More  or  less  of  the  violet  of  gold  is  added.  Triturate 
without  melting. 

No.  7. — Lavender  Blue,  for  ground  tint. 

Blue  No.  5  .  .  .  .  .4  parts. 

Yiolet  of  gold,  No.  31  .  .  3  “ 

Sometimes  a  little  carmine  is  added.  Pulverize  with¬ 
out  melting. 

Greens  are  obtained  with  the  oxide  of  chromium, 
or  with  the  deutoxide  of  copper*  or  with  mixtures  of 
oxide  of  chromium  and  silicate  of  cobalt,  when  bluish 
tones  are  wished.  When  these  greens  contain  the  oxide 
of  copper,  they  require  a  previous  fusion,  for  it  is  only 
in  the  state  of  silicate  or  of  salt  that  this  oxide  gives  a 
green.  The  greens  of  copper  disappear  entirely  at  a  high 
heat. 

When  the  colours  are  required  to  be  transparent, 
the  oxide  of  copper  is  used  instead  of  the  oxide  of 
chromium. 


j.  No.  8. — Emerald  Green. 

Oxide  of  copper  ....  1  part. 

Antimonic  acid  10  parts. 

Plux  No.  1  .  .  .  .  30  u 

Pulverize  together,  and  melt. 


AND  VARNISHES/ S  COMPANION. 


1a3 

No.  9. — Bluish  Green. 

Green  oxide  of  chromium  .  .  1  part. 

Oxide  of  cobalt  .  .  .  2  parts.. 

Triturate,  and  melt  at  a  high  heat.  The  product  is  a 
Dutton  slightly  melted,  from  which  is  removed  the  por¬ 
tion  in  contact  with  the  crucible.  This  button  is  pounded 
up,  and  three  parts  of  flux  No.  3,  for  one  of  the  button, 
are  added  to  it. 

No.  10. — Grass  Green. 

Green  oxide  of  chromium  .  .  1  part. 

Flux  No.  3  ....  3  parts. 

Triturate,  and  melt. 

Nos.  10,  11,  12. — Dragon ,  Pistaclie ,  and  Glive  Green. 

They  are  prepared  with  the  oxide  of  chromium,  mixed 
with  flux  No.  3,  with  additions  of  deep  or  clear  yellow 
No.  15  or  16,  ascertaining  the  proportions  by  trial. 

Yellows  are  commonly  obtained  by  means  of 
antimonic  acid  and  the  oxide  of  lead,  (litharge.)  It 
is  the  Naples  yellow,  or  very  nearly  so.  Sometimes 
stannic  acid  (peroxide  of  tin)  is  added,  and  oxide  of 
zinc,  and  often  also  some  subsulphate  of  the  peroxide  of 
iron,  prepared  by  exposing  to  the  air  weak  solutions  of 
the  protosulphate  of  iron,  (copperas.) 

These  colours  do  not  change  in  the  muffle,  but  they 
disappear  almost  entirely  at  a  high  heat.  They  aro 


144 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


easily  altered  by  smoke,  by  which  the  oxide  of  lead  is 
reduced,  which  produces  a  dirty  gray. 

Yellows  are  made  with  the  chromate  of  lead,  but 
their  use  is  too  uncertain.  In  Germany,  the  oxide  of 
uranium  is  employed,  which  gives  a  beautiful  yellow;  but 
in  France  it  is  found  to  produce  no  better  yellow  than 
those  already  known. 

No.  13. — Sulphur  Yellow. 

Antimonic  acid  .  .  .  .1  part. 

Subsulphate  of  the  peroxide  of  iron  8  parts. 

Oxide  of  zinc  .  .  .  .  4  u 

Flux  No.  1  .  .  .  36  “ 

Rub  up  together,  and  melt ;  if  this  colour  is  too  deep, 
the  salt  of  iron  is  diminished. 

No.  14. — Fixed  Yellow  for  touches. 

Yellow  No.  13  .  .  .1  part 

White  enamel  of  commerce  .  2  parts. 

Melt,  and  pour  out.  If  it  is  not  sufficiently  fixed,  a 
little  sand  may  be  added. 

No.  15. —  Yello  w  for  Browns  and  Greens. 

Antimonic  acid  .  .  .  .2  parts. 

Subsulphate  of  iron  ...  1  part. 

Flux  No.  1  .  .  .  .9  parts. 

This  colour  is  melted,  and  sometimes  a  little  Naples 
yellow  is  added  if  it  is  too  soft,  (i.  e.  melts  too  easily.) 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


145 


No.  16. — Deep  Yellow ,  to  mix  with  the  Chromium 
Greens. 

Antimonic  acid  .  .  .  2  parts. 

Subsulphate  of  iron  .  .  1  part. 

Flux  No.  1  ....  10  parts. 

Melt,  and  pour  out.  The  subsulphate  of  iron  may  bo 
increased  a  little  :  the  proportions  of  flux  vary. 

No.  17. — Jonquille  Yellow  for  flowers. 


Litharge  .  .  .  .  .18  parts. 

Sand  .....  G  “ 
The  product  of  the  calcination  of 

equal  parts  of  lead  and  tin  .  2  “ 

Carbonate  of  soda  .  .  .1  part. 

Antimonic  acid  ...  1  “ 


Rub  together  or  triturate,  and  melt. 

No.  18. —  Wax  Yellow. 

Litharge  .  .  .  .  .18  parts. 

Sand  .....  4  “ 

Oxide  of  antimony  .  .  .  2  “ 

Sienna  earth  ...  2  “ 

Melt.  If  it  is  too  deep,  the  proportion  of  Sienna 
earth  may  be  decreased. 

No.  19. — Fixed  Wax  Yellow. 

No.  18  mixed,  without  melting,  with  white  enamel  or 
sand,  in  order  to  harden  it.  The  quantity  depends  on 
the  greater  or  less  fusibility  of  the  yellow. 

13 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


14G 


No.  20. — Nanlcin  Yellow  for  grounds. 

Subsulphate  of  iron  ...  1  part. 

Oxide  of  zinc  ...  2  parts. 

Flux  No.  1  .  .  .  .  10  u 

Triturate. 

No.  21. — Deep  Nanlcin  Yellow. 

Subsulphate  of  iron  .  .  .1  part. 

Oxide  of  zinc  ...  2  parts. 

Flux  No.  2  ....  8  “ 

Triturate  without  melting. 

No.  22. — Pale  Yellow  Ochre. 

Subsulphate  of  iron  .  .  .1  part. 

Oxide  of  zino  ...  2  parts. 

Flux  No.  2  .  .  .  6  “ 

Triturate  without  melting. 

No.  23. — Deep  Yellow  Ochre,  called  Yellow  Brown. 

Subsulphate  of  iron  ...  1  part. 

Oxide  of  zinc  ...  1  “ 

Flux  No.  2  .  .  .  .  5  parts. 

Triturate  without  melting. 

No.  24. — Brown  Yellow  Ochre. 

Yellow  ochre,  No.  23  .  10  parts. 

Sienna  earth  .  .  .1  part. 

Mix  without  melting. 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


147 


No.  25. — Isabella  Yellow,  for  grounds. 

Yellow  for  browns,  No.  15  .  20  parts. 

Blood  red,  No.  28  .  .  .1  part. 

No.  26. —  Orange  Yellow,  for  grounds. 

Chromate  of  lead  ...  1  part. 

Minium  .  .  .  .  .8  parts. 

No.  27. — Brick  Red. 

Yellow  No.  23  .  . .  .  .12  parts. 

Red  oxide  of  iron  ...  1  part. 

No.  28. — Deep  Blood  Red. 

Subsulphate  of  iron,  calcined  in  a 
muffle  until  it  becomes-a  beauti¬ 
ful  capucine  red  ...  1  part. 

Flux  No.  2  .  .  .  .  3  parts. 

Mix  without  melting. 

Colours  op  Gold. — These  are  carmine  reds,  purples, 
and  violets,  made  by  means  of  the  precipitated  purple 
of  Cassius.  These  colours  are  very  delicate,  and  are 
the  only  ones  which  change  their  tints  in  the  fire.  Un¬ 
burnt,  they  are  of  dirty  violet  tint,  but  are  changed  into 
a  lively  and  pure  tone  by  a  moderate  burning.  In  a 
stronger  fire,  these  colours  become  yellowish,  and  even 
completely  disappear.  It  is  necessary  to  mix  the  purple 
of  Cassius  with  considerable  flux,  and  this  mixture  must 


148 


TIIE  TAINTER,  GILDER, 


be  made  while  the  purple  precipitate  is  still  moist.  If 
it  was  suffered  to  dry,  the  colour  would  be  spoiled. 
With  one  part  of  purple  of  Cassius,  six  parts  of  flux 
are  mixed.  The  purple  powder  of  Cassius  gives  a  purple 
by  itself.  Mixed  with  chloride  of  silver,  which  gives 
to  it  a  yellow,  a  carmine  tone  is  produced.  With  a 
little  cobalt  blue,  it  is  rendered  violet. 

No.  29. — Hard  Carmine. 

It  is  the  purple  of  Cassius  mixed  with  flux  No.  3,  and 
chloride  of  silver,  previously  melted  with  ten  parts  of 
flux  No.  3.  The  proportions  vary.  The  whole  is  ground 
on  a  glass,  the  precipitate  of  gold  being  still  moist. 

No.  30. — Pure  Purple. 

The  purple  powder  of  Cassius  mixed  while  moist 
with  flux  No.  3,  and  sometimes  a  little  chloride  of 
silver  previously  melted  with  flux  No.  3.  If  the  purple, 
when  prepared,  does  not  melt  sufficiently  easy,  some  flux 
may  be  added  when  it  is  dry. 

No.  31. — Deep  Violet. 

The  purple  of  Cassius ;  in  place  of  flux  No.  3,  flux 
No.  1  is  mixed  with  it.  Sometimes  a  little  of  blue 
No.  6  is  added. 

Colours  of  Iron. — Besides  the  subsulphate  of  the 
peroxide,  the  peroxide  itself  is  employed  to  produce  rose 
tints,  reds,  violet  tones,  and  browns.  The  pure  peroxide 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


149 


can  producefthe  first  three  tones,  and  it  is  easily  imagined 
when  we  know  that  its  shade  varies  from  rose  to  deep 
violet,  according  to  the  temperature  to  which  it  has  been 
submitted.  Slightly  heated,  it  is  rose  or  red ;  at  a  forge 
heat,  it  becomes  violet.  As  to  the  browns  of  iron, 
they  require  some  mixtures.  These  colours  are  unalter¬ 
able  in  the  muffle,  but  they  disappear  in  great  part  at  a 
high  heat.  In  the  first  case  the  oxide  remains  free, 
and  in  the  second  it  is  united  with  the  silica.  A  too 
fusible  flux  or  glass  produces  the  same  effect. 

No.  32. — Flesh  Red. 

The  sulphate  of  iron,  putin  small  crucibles  and  lightly 
calcined,  produces  a  suitable  red  oxide.  Those  which 
have  the  desired  tone  are  selected.  All  the  flesh  reds 
are  made  in  this  way,  and  vary  only  in  the  degrees  of 
heat  which  they  receive. 

Browns  may  be  obtained  with  various  mixtures  of 
peroxide  or  subsulphate  of  iron  with  the  oxide  of  man¬ 
ganese,  silicate  of  cobalt,  or  silicate  of  copper.  These 
colours,  unalterable  in  the  heat  of  the  muffle,  lose  their 
intensity  at  a  high  heat. 

No.  33. —  Clove  Brown. 

The  basis  of  this  brown  is  yellow  ochre  No.  23,  to 
which  is  added  either  the  oxide  of  cobalt  in  small  quan¬ 
tities,  or  umber  or  sienna  earth.  Proportions  are  tried 
according  to  the  tone  required. 

13* 


150 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


No.  84. —  Wood  Brown. 

The  same  process  as  the  clove  brown,  only  without 
the  oxide  of  cobalt. 


No.  35. — Hair  Brown. 

Yellow  ochre,  No.  23  .  .  15  parts. 

Oxide  of  cobalt  ....  1  part. 

Well  triturated  and  calcined,  in  order  to  give  the 
tone  to  it. 


No.  36. — Liver  Brown. 

Oxide  of  iron  made  of  a  red  brown,  and  mixed  with 
three  times  its  weight  of  flux  No.  2.  A  tenth  of  sienna 
earth  is  added  to  it,  if  it  is  not  sufficiently  deep. 

No.  37. — Sepia  Brown. 

Deep  yellow  ochre  .  .  .15  parts. 

Oxide  of  cobalt  .  .  .  .1  part. 

A  little  manganese  is  added  if  it  is  not  sufficiently 
deep.  All  the  ingredients  are  well  mixed,  and  calcined 
in  order  to  produce  the  tone. 

No.  38. —  White. 

The  white  enamel  of  commerce  in  cakes. 

No.  39. 

Another  white  is  prepared  by  mixing  equal  parts  of 
fluxes  No.  1  and  No.  3. 


AND  VARNISIIER  S  COMPANION. 


151 


No.  40. —  Yellowish-Gray  for  Browns  and  Reds. 

Yellow,  No.  15  .  .  .  1  part. 

Blue,  No.  5  .  .  .  .  1  “ 

Oxide  of  zinc  .  .  .  2  or  3  parts. 

Flux,  No.  2  .  .  .  .  5  “ 

Sometimes  a  little  black  is  added,  according  to  the 
tone  which  the  mixture  produces.  The  proportions  of 
the  blue  and  yellow  vary. 

No.  41. — Bluish- Gray  for  Mixtures. 

Blue  previously  made  by  melting 
together  three  parts  of  flux  No. 

1,  and  one  part  of  the  mixture  of 

Oxide  of  cobalt  ...  8  parts. 

Oxide  of  zinc  ...  .1  part. 

Sulphate  of  iron  calcined  at  a  forge 

heat  .  .  .  .  .  1  “ 

Flux,  No.  2  .  .  .  .  .3  parts. 

Triturate,  and  add  a  little  manganese  in  order  to  ren¬ 
der  it  more  gray. 

No.  42. —  Grayish-blade  for  Mixtures. 

Yellow  ochre,  No.  23  15  parts. 

Oxide  of  Cobalt  .  .  .1  part. 

Triturate  and  calcine  in  a  crucible  until  it  has  the 
desired  tone.  A  little  oxide  of  manganese  is  added  in 
order  to  make  it  blacker;  sometimes  a  little  more  of 
oxide  of  cobalt. 


152 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


No.  43. — Deep  Black. 


Oxide  of  cobalt 
“  “  copper  . 

“  “  manganese  . 

Flux,  No.  1. 

Fused  borax 
Melt,  and  add 

Oxide  of  manganese  . 

“  “  copper  . 

Triturate  without  melting. 


2  parts. 
.  2  " 

1  “ 

.  C  “ 
i  part. 

1  “ 

.  2  parts. 


The  colours  thus  prepared,  after  having  been  rubbed 
up  on  a  plate  of  ground  glass  with  the  spirits  of  turpen¬ 
tine  or  lavender,  thickened  in  the  air,  are  applied 
with  a  hair  pencil.  Before  using  them,  however,  it  is 
necessary  to  try  them  on  small  pieces  of  glass,  and  ex¬ 
pose  them  to  the  fire,  to  ascertain  if  the  desired  tone  of 
colour  is  produced.  The  artist  must  be  guided  by  these 
proof  pieces  in  using  his  colours.  The  proper  glass  for 
receiving  these  colours  should  be  uniform,  colourless,  and 
difficult  of  fusion.  For  this  reason,  crown  glass  made 
with  a  little  alkali  or  kelp  is  preferred. 

A  design  must  be  drawn  upon  paper,  and  placed  beneath 
die  plate  of  glass ;  though  the  artist  cannot  regulate  his 
tints  directly  by  his  palette,  but  by  specimens  of  the 
colours  producible  from  his  palette  pigments  after  they 
are  fired.  The  upper  side  of  the  glass  being  sponged 
over  with  gum-water,  affords,  when  dry,  a  surface  proper 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


158 


for  receiving  the  colours,  without  the  risk  of  their  run¬ 
ning  irregularly,  as  they  would  he  apt  to  do  on  the 
slippery  glass.  The  artist  first  draws  on  the  plate,  with 
a  fine  pencil,  all  the  traces  which  mark  the  great  outlines 
and  shades  of  the  figures.  This  is  usually  done  in 
black,  or  at  least  some  strong  colour,  such  as  brown, 
blue,  green,  or  red.  In  laying  on  these,  the  painter  is 
guided  by  the  same  principles  as  the  engraver,  when  he 
produces  the  effect  of  light  and  shade,  by  dots,  lines,  or 
hatches;  and  he  employs  that  colour  to  produce  the 
shades  which  will  harmonize  best  with  the  colour  which 
is  afterwards  to  be  applied ;  but  for  the  deeper  shades, 
black  is  in  general  used.  When  this  is  finished,  the 
whole  picture  will  be  represented  in  lines  or  hatches 
similar  to  an  engraving,  finished  up  to  the  highest  effect 
possible ;  and  afterwards,  when  it  is  dry,  the  vitrifying 
coloui-s  are  laid  on  by  means  of  larger  hair  pencils ; 
their  selection  being  regulated  by  the  burnt  specimen 
tints.  When  he  finds  it  necessary  to  lay  two  colours 
adjoining,  which  are  apt  to  run  together  in  the  muffle 
he  must  apply  one  of  them  to  the  back  of  the  glass- 
The  yellow  formed  with  chloride  of  silver  is  generally 
laid  on  the  back  of  the  glass.  After  colouring,  the  artist 
proceeds  to  bring  out  the  lighter  effects  by  taking  off  the 
colour  in  the  proper  place,  with  a  goosequill  cut  like  a 
pen  without  a  slit.  By  working  this  upon  the  glass, 
he  removes  the  colour  from  the  parts  where  the  lights 
should  be  the  strongest;  such  as  the  hair,  eyes,  the  re¬ 
flection  of  bright  surfaces  and  light  parts  of  draperies 


151 


THE  PAINTER.  GILDER. 


The  blank  pen  may  be  employed  either  to  make  the 
lights  by  lines,  or  hatches  and  dots,  as  is  most  suitable 
to  the  subject. 

To  fire  the  paintings,  a  furnace  with  a  muffle  is  used. 
The  muffles  are  made  of  refractory  clay.  They  have 
been  made  of  cast  iron,  but  these  are  no  longer  employed. 
Fig.  4  is  an  elevation  and  transverse  section  of  the  fur- 


Fig.  4. 


nace,  and  its  muffle  m  place.  Fig.  5  is  a  longitudinal 
section.  Figs.  6  and  7,  views  of  the  muffle  ;  u  is  the 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


155 


Fig.  5. 


door  of  the  ashpit  e ;  p  the  door  of  the  furnace  f)  ?/,  ;/ 
are  the  small  arches  of  the  dome  of  the  furnace  wnieh 


Fig.  6. 


Fig.  7. 


156 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


supports  the  muffle.  c,  c  are  the  flues  through  which 
the  flame  escapes ;  n  is  a  pipe  or  tube  on  the  top  of  the 
muffle  to  allow  vapours  to  escape ;  r,  r,  tubes  in  the  door 
of  the  muffle,  through  which  the  proof  pieces  are  passed. 
In  the  interior  of  the  muffle,  small  brackets  or  projec¬ 
tions  i,  i  are  placed,  which  support  bars  of  iron  encased 
in  porcelain,  on  which  the  plates  of  glass  which  are  to  be 
burned  rest.  Dry  pulverized  lime  is  sometimes  laid  on 
the  bottom  of  the  muffle  and  the  glass  rested  on  the  lime. 
Several  layers  of  glass  may  be  placed  in  the  muffle  to¬ 
gether,  with  layers  of  lime  between  them.  This  is  the 
better  arrangement.  As  the  paintings  retain  consider¬ 
able  oil,  it  is  necessary,  when  the  muffle  is  first  charged, 
to  heat  gently,  in  order  to  volatilize  or  decompose  this 
oil,  leaving  the  muffle  open.  When  the  oil  is  driven  off, 
the  muffle  is  closed,  and  the  fire  increased.  A  greater 
or  less  intensity  of  heat  is  directed  from  one  part  to 
another  of  the  muffle,  by  opening  or  closing  the  flues  c, 
so  as  to  cause  the  flames  to  pass  over  any  point  desired. 
The  temperature  suitable  for  burning  is  judged  of  by 
placing  in  the  muffle  pieces  of  glass  painted  with  a  little 
carmine.  The  heat  should  not  be  carried  beyond  the  point 
at  which  the  carmine  is  well  developed.  These  pieces 
are  fastened  to  iron  wires,  by  which  they  may  be  passed 
in  or  out  of  the  muffle  through  the  tubes  r,  r.  In  this 
way  the  progress  of  the  burning  may  be  closely  watched. 
When  the  carmine  is  well  developed,  the  fire  should  be 
arrested,  and  the  muffle  allowed  to  cool.  When  the 
muffle  has  entirely  cooled,  the  glass  is  withdrawn.  If 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


157 


any  parts  are  defective,  they  may  be  retouched  and  put 
in  the  muffle  a  second  time.  Sufficient  time  should  be 
allowed  for  the  glass  to  become  entirely  cool,  before 
withdrawing  it. 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


168 


HARMONY  OF  COLOURS. 

Every  one  must  have  observed  that  certain  colours, 
when  brought  together,  mutually  set  each  other  off  to 
advantage,  while  others  have  altogether  a  different  effect. 
This  must  be  carefully  attended  to  by  every  painter  who 
would  study  beauty  or  elegance  in  the  appearance  of  his 
work. 

Whites  will  set  off  well  with  any  colour  whatever. 

Beds  set  off  best  with  blacks,  or  yellows. 

Blues  with  whites  or  yenows. 

Greens  with  blacks  and  whites. 

Gold  sets  off  well  either  with  blacks  or  browns. 

In  lettering  or  edging  with  gold,  a  white  ground  has 
a  delicate  appearance  for  a  time,  but  it  soon  becomes 
dingy.  The  best  grounds  for  gold  are  Saxon  blue,  ver¬ 
milion,  and  lake. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


150 


MISCELLANEOUS  SUBJECTS 

’  AND 

USEFUL  RECEIPTS. 


Though  the  whole  of  the  following  subjects  and  re¬ 
ceipts  cannot  be  strictly  said  to  relate  to  the  trades  of 
the  Painter,  Gilder,  or  Varnisher,  yet  most  of  them  are 
so  intimately  connected  with  them,  and  also  so  useful  to 
him,  that  the  present  Manual  could  not  he  considered 
complete  without  their  being  introduced. 

To  increase  the  Strength  of  common  Rectified  Spirits  of 
Wine ,  so  as  to  make  it  equal  to  that  of  the  best. 

Take  a  pint  of  the  common  spirits,  and  put  it  into  a 
bottle  which  it  will  only  fill  about  three-quarters  fall. 
Add  to  it  half  an  ounce  of  pearlash  or  salt  of  tartar, 
powdered  as  much  as  it  can  be  without  occasioning  any 
great  loss  of  its  heat.  Shake  the  mixture  frequently  for 
about  half  an  hour,  before  which  time  a  considerable 
sediment,  like  phlegm,  will  be  separated  from  the  spirits, 
and  will  appear  along  with  the  undissolved  pearlash  or 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


TOO 

salt  at  the  bottom  of  the  bottle.  Then  pour  the  spirit 
off  into  another  bottle,  being  careful  to  bring  none  of  the 
sediment  or  salt  along  with  it.*  To  the  quantity  just 
poui’ed  off  add  half  an  ounce  of  pearlash,  powdered  and 
heated  as  before,  and  repeat  the  same  treatment.  Con¬ 
tinue  to  do  this  as  often  as  you  find  necessary  till  you 
perceive  little  or  no  sediment :  when  this  is  the  case,  an 
ounce  of  alum,  powdered  and  made  hot,  but  not  burned, 
must  be  put  into  the  spirits,  and  suffered  to  remain  some 
hours,  the  bottle  being  frequently  shaken  during  the 
time ;  after  which  the  spirit,  when  poured  off,  will  be 
found  free  from  all  impurities,  and  equal  to  the  best 
rectified  spirits  of  wine. 


To  Silver  by  Heat. 

Dissolve  an  ounce  of  pure  silver  in  aqua  fortis,  and 
precipitate  it  with  common  salt;  to  which  add  half  a 
pound  of  sal-ammoniac,  sandever,  and  white  vitriol,  and 
a  quai-ter  of  an  ounce  of  sublimate. 

Or  dissolve  an  ounce  of  pure  silver  in  aqua  fortis,  and 
precipitate  it  with  common  salt;  and  add,  after  washing, 
six  ounces  of  common  salt,  three  ounces  each  of  sandever 
and  white  vitriol,  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  sublimate. 
These  are  to  be  ground  into  a  paste,  upon  a  fine  stone, 
with  a  muller;  the  substauce  to  be  silvered  must  be 
rubbed  over  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  paste,  and 


*  For  this  purpose,  you  had  better  use  what  is  called  a  aepnrat. 
ing  funnel,  if  you  can  procure  it. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  161 

exposed  to  a  proper  degree  of  heat.  When  the  silver 
runs,  it  is  taken  from  the  fire  and  dipped  into  weak 
spirits  of  salts  to  clean  it. 

To  Tin  Capper  and  Brass. 

Boil  six  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar,  four  gallons  of 
water,  and  eight  pounds  of  grain  tin  or  tin  shavings. 
After  the  materials  have  boiled  a  sufficient  time,  the 
substance  to  he  tinned  is  put  therein,  and  the  boiling 
continued,  when  the  tin  is  precipitated  in  its  metallic 
form. 


To  Tin  Iron  and  Copper  Vessels. 

Iron  which  is  to  be  tinned  must  he  previously  steeped 
in  acid  materials,  such  as  sour  whey,  distiller’s  wash, 
&c. ;  then  scoured  and  dipped  in  melted  tin,  having  been 
first  rubbed  over  with  a  solution  of  sal-ammoniac.  Tho 
surface  of  the  tin  is  prevented  from  calcining  by  cover¬ 
ing  it  with  a  coat  of  fat.  Copper  vessels  must  be  well 
cleansed ;  and  then  a  sufficient  quantity  of  tin  with  sal- 
ammoniac  is  put  therein,  and  brought  into  fusion,  and 
the  copper  vessel  moved  about.  A  little  resin  is  some¬ 
times  added.  The  sal-ammoniac  prevents  the  copper 
from  scaling,  and  causes  the  tin  to  be  fixed  wherever  it 
touches.  Lately,  zinc  has  been  proposed  for  lining  ves¬ 
sels  instead  of  tin/  to  avoid  the  ill  consequences  which 
have  been  unjustly  appi’ehended. 


14* 


1G2 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


To  paint  Sail-Cloth,  so  as  to  malce  it  Pliant,  Durable, 
and  Water -proof 

Grind  ninety-six  pounds  of  English  ochre  with  boiled 
oil,  and  add  to  it  sixteen  pounds  of  black  paint.  Dis¬ 
solve  a  pound  of  yellow  soap  in  one  pail  of  water  on  the 
fire,  and  mix  it  while  hot  with  the  paint.  Lay  this 
composition,  without  wetting  it,  upon  the  canvas,  as  stiff 
as  can  conveniently  be  done  with  the  brush,  so  as  to 
form  a  smooth  surface ;  the  next  day,  or  the  day  after, 
(if  the  latter,  so  much  the  better,)  lay  on  a  second  coat 
of  ochre  and  black,  with  a  very  little,  if  any,  soap ;  allow 
this  coat  a  day  to  dry,  and  then  finish  the  canvas  with 
black  paint. 

To  malce  Oil- Cloth. 

The  manner  of  making  oil-cloth,  or,  as  the  vulgar 
sometimes  term  it,  oil-shin,  was  at  one  period  a  mys¬ 
tery.  The  process  is  now  well  understood,  and  is  ecpially 
simple  and  useful. 

Dissolve  some  good  resin  or  gum-lac  over  the  fire  in 
dicing  linseed  oil,  till  the  resin  is  dissolved,  and  the  oil 
brought  to  the  thickness  of  a  balsam.  If  this  be  spread 
upon  canvas,  or  any  other  linen  cloth,  so  as  fully  to 
drench  and  entirely  to  glaze  it  over,  the  cloth,  if  then 
suffered  to  dry  thoroughly,  will  be  quite  impenetrable 
to  wet  of  every  description.* 


*  This  preparation  will  likewise  be  found  both  useful  and  eeonO’ 
mical  in  securing  timber  from  the  effects  of  wet. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


163 


This  varnish  may  either  he  worked  by  itself  or  with 
some  colour  added  to  it :  as  verdigris  for  a  green  ;  umber 
for  a  hair  colour;  white  lead  and  lamp-black  for  a  gray; 
indigo  and  white  for  a  light  blue,  &c.  To  give  the 
colour,  you  have  only  to  grind  it  with  the  last  coat  of 
varnish  you  lay  on.  You  must  be  as  careful  as  possible 
to  lay  on  the  varnish  equally  in  all  parts. 

A  better  method,  however,  of  preparing  oil-cloth  is 
first  to  cover  the  cloth  or  canvas  with  a  liquid  paste, 
made  with  drying  oil  in  the  following  manner:  Take 
Spanish  white  or  tobacco-pipe  clay  which  has  been  com¬ 
pletely  cleaned  by  washing  and  sifting  it  from  all  impu¬ 
rities,  and  mix  it  up  with  boiled  oil,  to  which  a  drying 
quality  has  been  given  by  adding  a  dose  of  litharge 
one-fourth  the  weight  of  the  oil.  This  mixture,  being 
brought  to  the  consistence  of  thin  paste,  is  spread  over 
the  cloth  or  canvas  by  means  of  an  iron  spatula  equal 
in  length  to  the  breadth  of  the  cloth.  When  the  first 
coating  is  dry,  a  second  is  applied.  The  unevennesses 
occasioned  by  the  coarseness  of  the  cloth  or  the  unequal 
application  of  the  paste  are  smoothed  down  with  pumice- 
stone  reduced  to  powder,  and  rubbed  over  the  cloth  with 
a  bit  of  softfserge  or  cork  dipped  in  water.  When  the 
last  coating  is  dry,  the  cloth  must  be  well  washed  in 
water  to  clean  it ;  and,  after  it  is  dried,  a  varnish  com 
posed  of  gum-lac  dissolved  in  linseed  oil  boiled  with  tur 
pentine  is  applied  to  it,  and  the  process  is  complete 
The  colour  of  the  varnished  cloth  thus  produced  is  yel 
low;  but  different  tints  can  be  given  to  it  in  the  manner 
already  pointed  out. 


1G4 


THE  -  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


An  improved  description  of  this  article,  intended  for 
figured  and  printed  varnished  cloths,  is  obtained  by  using 
a  finer  paste,  and  cloth  of  a  more  delicate  texture. 

To  prepare  Varnished  Silk. 

Varnished  silk,  often  employed  for  umbrellas,  cover¬ 
ing  to  hats,  &c.,  being  impenetrable  to  wet,  is  prepared, 
and  the  operation  performed,  in  the  same  manner  as  I 
have  described  in  the  second  method  of  preparing  oil¬ 
cloth,  but  with  a  different  kind  of  varnish  or  paste. 

The  paste  used  for  silk  is  composed  of  linseed  oil 
boiled  with  a  fourth  part  of  litharge ;  tobacco-pipe  clay, 
dried  and  sifted,  sixteen  parts  litharge,  ground  on  por¬ 
phyry  or  very  fine  marble,  and  likewise  dried  and  sifted, 
three  parts;  lamp-black  one  part.  After  the  washing 
of  the  silk,  fat  copal  varnish  is  applied  instead  of  that 
used  for  oil-cloth. 

To  paint  Cloth ,  Cambric ,  Sarcenet ,  &c .,  so  as  to  render 
them  Transparent. 

Grind  to  a  fine  powder  three  pounds  of  clear  white 
resin,  and  put  it  into  two  pounds  of  good  nut  oil,  to 
which  a  strong  drying  quality  has  been  given  ;  set  the 
mixture  over  a  moderate  fire,  and  keep  stirring  it  till 
all  the  resin  is  dissolved ;  then  put  in  two  pounds  of 
the  best  Venice  turpentine,  and  keep  stirring  the  whole 
well  together ;  and,  if  the  cloth  or  cambric  be  thorough¬ 
ly  varnished  on  both  sides  with  this  mixture,  it  will  be 
quite  transparent. 


AND  VARNISHED’S  COMPANION. 


165 


I  should  remark  that  in  this  operation,  as  well  as  in 
the  preparation  of  oil-cloths  and  varnished  silks,  the 
surfaces  upon  which  the  varnish  or  paste  is  to  be  applied 
must  be  stretched  tight,  and  made  fast  during  the  ap¬ 
plication. 

This  mode  of  rendering  cloth,  &c.  transparent  is  ex¬ 
cellently  adapted  for  window-blinds.  The  varnish  will 
likewise  admit  of  any  design  in  oil  colours  being  exe¬ 
cuted  upon  it  as  a  transparency. 


To  thicken  Linen  Cloths  for  Screens. 

Grind  whiting  with  flowers  of  zinc,  and  add  a  little 
honey  to  it ;  then  take  a  soft  brush,  and  lay  it  upon  the 
cloth,  repeating  the  operation  two  or  three  times,  and 
giving  it  time  to  dry  between  the  different  coatings. 
For  the  last  coat,  smooth  it  over  with  linseed  oil  nearly 
boiling,  and  mixed  with  a  small  quantity  of  the  litharge 
of  gold — the  better  to  enable  the  cloth  to  stand  the 
weather. 


Printers’  Ink. 

Printers’  ink  is  a  real  black  paint,  composed  of  lamp¬ 
black,  and  linseed  oil  which  has  undergone  a  degree  ot 
heat  superior  to  that  of  any  of  the  common  drying  oils. 

The  manner  of  preparing  it  is  extremely  simple.  Boil 
linseed  oil  in  a  large  iron  pot  for  eight  hours,  adding  to 
it  bits  of  toasted  bread,  for  the  purpose  of  absorbing 
the  water  contained  in  the  oil.  Let  it  rest  till  the  fol¬ 
lowing  morning,  and  then  expose  it  to  the  same  degree 


1G6 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


of  heat  for  eight  hours  more,  or  till  it  ha:  acquired  the 
consistence  required ;  then  add  lamp-black  worked  up 
with  a  mixture  of  oil  of  turpentine  and  turpentine. 

The  consistence  depends  on  the  degree  of  heat  given 
to  the  oil,  and  the  quantity  of  lamp-black  mixed  up  with 
it;  and  this  consistence  is  regulated  by  the  strength  of 
the  paper  for  which  the  ink  is  intended. 

The  preparation  of  printers'*  ink  should  take  place  in 
the  open  air,  to  prevent  the  bad  effects  arising  from  the 
vapour  of  the  burnt  oil,  and,  in  particular,  to  guard 
against  accidents  by  fire. 


Slicking ,  or  Court  Plaster. 

This  plaster  is  well  known  from  its  general  use  and 
its  healing  properties.  It  is  merely  a  kind  of  varnished 
silk,  and  its  manufacture  is  very  easy. 

Bruise  a  sufiicient  quantity  of  isinglass,  and  let  it 
soak  in  a  little  warm  water  for  four-and-twenty  hours; 
expose  it  to  heat  over  the  fire  till  the  greater  part  of 
the  water  is  dissipated,  and  supply  its  place  by  proof 
spirits  of  wine,  which  will  combine  with  the  isinglass. 
Strain  the  whole  through  a  piece  of  open  linen,  taking 
care  that  the  consistence  of  the  mixture  shall  be  such 
that,  when  cool,  it  may  form  a  trembling  jelly. 

Extend  the  piece  of  black  silk,  of  which  you  propose 
making  your  plaster,  on  a  wooden  frame,  and  fix  it  in 
that  position  by  means  of  tacks  or  pack-thread.  Then 
apply  the  isinglass  (after  it  has  been  rendered  liquid  by 
a  gentle  heat)  to  the  silk  with  a  brush  of  fine  hair, 


AND  VARNISIIER’s  COMPANION. 


1G7 


(badger’s  is  the  best.)  As  soon  as  this  first  coating  is 
dried,  which  will  not  be  long,  apply  a  second ;  and  af¬ 
terwards,  if  you  wish  the  article  to  be  very  superior,  a 
third,  When  the  whole  is  dry,  cover  it  with  two  or 
three  coatings  of  the  balsam  of  Peru. 

This  is  the  genuine  court  plaster.  It  is  pliable,  and 
never  breaks,  which  is  far  from  being  the  case  with  many 
of  the  spurious  articles  which  are  sold  under  that  name. 
Indeed,  this  commodity  is  very  frequently  adulterated 
A  kind  of  plaster,  with  a  very  thick  and  brittle  cover¬ 
ing,  is  often  sold  for  it.  The  manufacturers  of  this, 
instead  of  isinglass,  use  common  glue,  which  is  much 
cheaper ;  and  cover  the  whole  with  spirit  varnish,  in  - 
stead  of  balsam  of  Peru.  This  plaster  cracks,  and  has 
none  of  the  balsamic  smell  by  which  the  genuine  court 
plaster  is  distinguished.  Another  method  of  detecting 
the  adulteration  is  to  moisten  it  with  your  tongue  on 
the  side  opposite  to  that  ivhich  is  varnished  ;  and,  if  the 
plaster  be  genuine,  it  will  adhere  exceedingly  well. 
The  adulterated  plaster  is  too  hard  for  this  :  it  will  not 
stick,  unless  you  moisten  it  on  the  varnished  side. 


To  imitate  Tortoise-shell  with  Horn. 

Mix  up  an  equal  quantity  of  quick’ime  and  red  lead 
with  strong  soap-lees  ;  lay  it  on  the  horn  with  a  small 
brush,  in  imitation  of  the  mottle  of  tortoise-shell ;  when 
it  is  dry,  repeat  it  two  or  three  times. 

Or,  grind  an  ounce  of  litharge  and  half  an  ounce  of 
quicklime  together,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  liquid 


168 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


salt  of  tartar  to  make  it  of  the  consistence  of  paint.  Pui 
it  on  the  horn  with  a  brush,  in  imitation  of  tortoise¬ 
shell,  and  in  three  or  four  hours  it  will  have  produced 
the  desired  effect ;  it  may  then  be  washed  off  with  clean 
water ;  if  not  deep  enough,  it  may  he  repeated. 

There  is  still  another  mode  of  effecting  this  imitation. 
Take  a  piece  of  lunar  caustic,  about  the  size  of  a  pea, 
grind  it  with  water  on  a  stone,  and  mix  with  it  a  suffi¬ 
cient  portion  of  gum-arabic  to  make  it  of  a  proper  con¬ 
sistence,  then  apply  it  with  a  brush  to  the  horn  in  imi¬ 
tation  of  the  veins  of  tortoise-shell.  A  little  red  lead, 
or  some  other  powder,  mixed  with  it  to  give  it  a  body, 
is  of  advantage.  It  will  then  stain  the  horn  quite 
through,  without  hurting  its  texture  and  quality..  In 
this  case,  however,  you  must  be  careful,  when  the  horn 
is  sufficiently  stained,  to  let  it  be  soaked  for  some  hours 
in  plain  water,  previous  to  finishing  and  polishing  it. 


A  Varn  ish  to  preserve  Glass  from  the  Rays  of  the  Sun. 

Reduce  a  quantity  of  gum-tragacanth  to  fine  powder, 
and  let  it  dissolve  for  twenty-four  hours  in  white  of 
eggs  well  beat  up ;  then  rub  it  gently  ou  the  glass  with 
a  brush. 


To  imitate  Rosewood. 

Take  half  a  pound  of  logwood,  boil  it  with  three  pints 
of  water  till  it  is  of  a  very  dark  red,  to  which  add  about 
half  an  ounce  of  salt  of  tartar ;  and,  when  boiling  het, 
stain  your  wood  with  two  or  three  coats,  taking  care 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


169 


that  it  is  nearly  dry  between  each ;  then  with  a  stiff  flat 
brush,  such  as  you  use  for  graining,  make  streaks  with  a 
very  deep  black  stain,  which,  if  carefully  executed,  will 
be  very  near  the  appearance  of  dark  rosewood. 

The  following  is  another  method  :  Stain  your  wood 
all  over  with  a  black  stain,  and  when  dry,  with  a  brush 
as  above,  dipped  in  the  brightening  liquid,  form  red 
veins  in  imitation  of  the  grain  of  rosewood ;  which  will 
produce,  when  well  managed,  a  beautiful  effect. 

A  handy  brush  for  the  purpose  of  veining  may  be 
made  by  taking  a  flat  brush,  such  as  you  use  for  varnish¬ 
ing,  and  cutting  the  sharp  points  off  the  hairs,  and  ma¬ 
king  the  edge  irregular;  by  cutting  out  a  few  hairs  here 
and  there,  you  will  have  a  tool  which,  without  any 
trouble,  will  imitate  the  grain  with  great  accuracy. 


To  Imitate  Black  Rosewood. 

The  work  must  be  grounded  black ;  after  which  take 
6ome  red  lead  well  ground,  and  mixed  up  as  before  di¬ 
rected,  which  lay  on  with  a  flat  stiff  brush,  in  imitation 
of  the  streaks  in  the  wood ;  then  take  a  small  quantity 
of  lake,  ground  fine,  and  mix  it  with  brown  spirit-varnish, 
carefully  observing  not  to  have  more  colour  in  it  than 
will  just  tinge  the  varnish;  but  should  it  happen,  on 
trial,  to  be  stdl  too  red,  you  may  easily  assist  it  with  a 
little  umber,  ground  very  fine,  or  a  small  quantity  of 
Yandyke-brown,  which  is  better;  with  which  pass  over 
the  whole  of  the  work  intended  to  imitate  black  rose¬ 
wood,  and  it  will  have  the  desired  effect :  indeed,  if  well 
15 


170 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


done,  when  it  is  varnished  and  polished,  it  will  scarcely 
be  known  from  rosewood. 

A  fine  Black  Varnish  for  Coaches  and  Iron  work. 

Take  two  ounces  of  bitumen  of  Palestine,  two  ounces 
pf  resin,  and  twelve  ounces  of  umber;  melt  them  sepa¬ 
rately,  and  afterwards  mix  them  together  over  a  moderate 
fire.  Then  pour  upon  them,  while  on  the  fire,  six  ounces 
of  clear  boiled  liuseed  oil,  and  keep  stirring  the  whole 
from  time  to  time ;  take  it  off  the  fire,  and,  when  pretty 
cool,  pour  in  twelve  ounces  of  the  essence  of  turpentine. 

A  Varnish  to  Imitate  the  Chinese. 

Put  four  ounces  of  powdered  gum-lac,  with  a  piece  of 
camphor  about  the  size  of  a  hazlenut  into  a  strong  bottle, 
with  a  pound  of  good  spirits  of  wine.  Shake  the  bottle 
from  time  to  time,  and  set  it  over  some  hot  embers  to 
mix  for  twenty-four  hours,  if  it  be  in  winter;  in  sum¬ 
mer  time,  you  may  expose  it  to  the  sun.  Pass  the  whole 
through  a  fine  cloth,  and  throw  away  what  remains  upon 
it.  Let  it  settle  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  you  will  find 
a  clear  part  in  the  upper  part  of  the  bottle,  which  you 
must  separate  gently,  and  put  into  another  vial ;  and 
the  remains  will  serve  for  the  first  layers  or  coatings. 

To  dean  Silver  Furniture. 

Lay  the  furniture  piece  by  piece  upon  a  charcoat 
fire;  and  when  they  are  just  red,  take  them  off  and  boil 


AND  VARNISIIER  S  COMPANION. 


171 


them  in  tartar  and  water,  and  your  silver  will  have  the 
same  beauty  as  when  first  made. 

To  colour  the  Bachs  of  Chimneys  icith  Lead  Ore. 

Clean  them  with  a  very  strong  brush,  and  carefully 
rub  off  the  dust  and  rust  ;  pound  about  a  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  'lead  ore  into  a  fine  powder,  and  put  it  into  a 
vessel  with  half  a  pint  of  vinegar ;  then  apply  it  to  the 
back  of  the  chimney  with  a  brush.  When  it  is  made 
black  with  this  liquid,  take  a  dry  brush,  dip  it  in  the 
same  powder  without  vinegar,  then  dry  and  rub  it  with 
this  brush,  till  it  becomes  as  shining  as  glass. 

To  clean  Marble,  Sienna,  Jasper,  Porphyry,  &c. 

Mix  up  a  quantity  of  the  strongest  soap-lees  with 
quicklime,  to  the  consistence  of  milk,  and  lay  it  on  the 
stone,  &c.,  for  twenty -four  hours;  clean  it  afterwards 
with  soap  and  water,  and  it  will  appear  as  new. 

This  may  be  improved  by  rubbing  or  polishing  it 
afterwards  with  fine  putty  powder  and  olive  oil. 

A  white  for  inside  Painting,  which,  in  about  four  hours 
dries  and  leaves  no  smell. 

Take  one  gallon  of  spirits  ®f  turpentine  and  two 
pounds  of  frankincense ;  let  them  simmer  over  a  clear 
fire  till  dissolved,  then  strain  and  bottle  it.  Add  one 
quart  of  this  mixture  to  a  gallon  of  bleached  linseed 
oil,  shake  them  well  together,  and  bottle  them  likewise. 
Grind  any  quantity  of  white  lead  very  fine  with  spirits 


172 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


of  turpentine,  then  add  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  last 
mixture  to  it  till  you  find  it  fit  for  laying  on.  If  it 
grows  thick  in  working,  it  must  be  thinned  with  spirit 
of  turpentine :  it  gives  a  flat  or  dead  white. 

To  take  Ink  Spots  out  of  Mahogany. 

Apply  spirits  of  salt  with  a  rag,  until  the  spot  disap¬ 
pears,  and  immediately  wash  with  clear  water.  Or,  to 
half  a  pint  of  soft  water  put  an  ounce  of  oxalic  acid,  and 
half  an  ounce  of  butter  of  antimony ;  shake  it  well,  and 
when  dissolved  it  will  be  very  useful  for  extracting  stains 
out  of  mahogany,  as  well  as  ink,  if  not  of  too  long  stand¬ 
ing 

To  make  Paste  for  Furniture. 

Scrape  four  ounces  of  beeswax  into  a  pot  or  basin ; 
then  add  as  much  spirits  of  turpentine  as  will  moisten  it 
through ;  at  the  same  time,  pound  a  quarter  of  aD  ounce 
of  resin  and  add  to  it :  when  it  is  dissolved  to  the  con¬ 
sistence  of  paste,  add  as  much  Indian  red  as  will  bring 
it  to  a  deep  mahogany  colour :  stir  it  up,  and  it  is  fit 
for  use. 

Another  sort  of  paste  may  be  made  as  follows  : — 

Scrape  four  ounces  of  beeswax  as  before ;  then  take 
a  pint  of  spirits  of  turpentine  in  a  clean  glazed  pipkin, 
to  which  add  an  ounce  of  alkanet  root;  cover  it  close,  and 
put  it  over  a  slow  fire,  attending  it  carefully,  that  it  may 
not  boil  or  catch  fire ;  and  when  you  perceive  the  colouj 
to  be  drawn  from  the  root,  by  the  liquid  being  of  a  deef 


AND  YARNISIIER’s  COMPANION. 


173 


red,  add  as  much  of  it  to  the  wax  as  will  moisten  it 
through;  at  the  same  time,  add  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
powdered  resin,  cover  it  close,  and  let  it  stand  six  hours, 
and  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

To  make  Oil  for  Furniture. 

Take  linseed  oil ;  put  it  in  a  glazed  pipkin,  with  as 
much  alkanet  root  as  it  will  cover;  let  it  boil  gently,  and 
you  will  find  it  become  of  a  strong  red  colour ;  let  it 
cool,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  use.  Or,  boil  together  cold 
drawn  linseed  oil  and  as  much  alkanet  as  it  will  cover, 
and  to  every  quart  of  oil  add  two  ounces  of  the  best  rose 
pink;  when  all  the  colour  is  extracted,  strain  it  off,  and 
for  every  quart  add  a  gill  of  spirits  of  turpentine  ;  it  will 
be  a  very  superior  composition  for  soft  and  light  maho- 
gany. 


To  brown  Gun  Barrels. 

Rub  the  barrel,  after  it  is  finished,  with  aqua-fortis,  or 
spirit  of  salt  diluted  with  water.  Lay  it  by  for  a  week, 
till  a  complete  coat  is  formed.  Then  apply  a  little  oil, 
and,  after  rubbing  the  surface  dry,  polish  it  with  a  hard 
brush  and  a  little  beeswax. 

To  clean  Pictures. 

Having  taken  the  picture  out  of  its  frame,  take  a 
clean  towel,  and  making  it  quite  wet,  lay  it  on  the  face 
of  your  picture,  sprinkling  it  from  time  to  time  with  clear 
soft  water  :  let  it  remain  wet  for  two  or  three  days ;  take 

15* 


174 


TIIE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


the  clotli  off,  and  renew  it  with  a  fresh  one ;  after  wip¬ 
ing  your  picture  with  a  clean  wet  sponge,  repeat  the 
process  till  you  find  all  the  dirt  soaked  out  of  your  pic¬ 
ture  ;  then  wash  it  well  with  a  soft  sponge,  and  let  it 
get  quite  dry ;  rub  it  with  some  clear  nut  or  linseed  oil, 
and  it  will  look  as  well  as  when  freshly  done. 

Another  Method. 

Put  into  two  quarts  of  strong  lye  a  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  Genoa  soap  rasped  very  fine,  with  about  a  pint 
of  spirits  of  wine ;  let  them  simmer  on  the  fire  for  half 
an  hour,  then  strain  them  through  a  cloth;  apply  it 
with  a  brush  to  the  picture,  wipe  it  off  with  a  sponge, 
and  apply  it  a  second  time,  which  will  effectually  remove 
all  dirt ;  then,  with  a  little  nut  oil  warmed,  rub  the  pic¬ 
ture,  and  let  it  dry;  this  will  make  it  look  as  bright  as 
when  it  came  out  of  the  artist’s  hands. 

Varnish  for  Clock  Faces,  dec. 

Take  of  spirits  of  wine  one  pint ;  divide  it  into  four 
parts ;  mix  one  part  with  half  an  ounce  of  gum  mastic, 
in  a  bottle  by  itself ;  one  part  of  spirits  and  half  an 
ounce  of  gum  sandrac  in  another  bottle ;  and  one  part  of 
spirits  and  half  an  ounce  of  the  whitest  part  of  gum  ben¬ 
jamin  ;  mix  and  temper  them  to  your  mind ;  if  too  thick, 
add  spirits;  if  too  thin,  some  mastic;  if  too  soft,  some 
Sandrac  or  benjamin.  When  you  use  it,  warm  the  sil¬ 
vered  plate  before  the  fire,  and  with  a  fiat  camel-hair  pen¬ 
cil  stroke  it  over  till  no  white  streaks  appear;  which  will 
preserve  the  silvering  for  many  years. 


AND  VA'RNTSHER’s  COMPANION. 


175 


Varnish  for  Balloons. 

Take  some  linseed  oil,  rendered  drying  by  boiling  it 
with  two  ounces  of  sugar  of  lead  and  three  ounces  of 
litharge  for  every  pint  of  oil  till  they  are  dissolved, 
which  may  be  in  half  an  hour.  Then  put  a  pound  of 
birdlime  and  half  a  pint  of  the  drying  oil  into  an  iron  oi 
copper  vessel,  whose  capacity  should  equal  about  a  gal¬ 
lon,  and  let  it  boil  very  gently  over  a  slow  charcoal  tire, 
till  the  birdlime  ceases  to  crackle,  which  will  be  in  about 
half  or  three-quarters  of  an  hour;  then  pour  upon  it  two 
pints  and  a  half  more  of  the  drying  oil,  and  let  it  boil 
about  an  hour  longer,  stirring  it  frequently  with  an  iron 
or  wooden  spatula.  As  the  varnish,  whilst  boiling,  and 
especially  when  nearly  ready,  swells  very  much,  care 
should  be  taken  to  remove,  in  those  cases,  the  pot  from 
the  fire,  and  to  replace  it  when  the  varnish  subsides ; 
otherwise,  it  will  boil  over.  Whilst  the  stuff  is  boiling, 
the  operator  should  occasionally  examine  whether  it  has 
boiled  enough,  which  may  be  known  by  observing  whe¬ 
ther,  when  rubbed  between  two  knives,  which  are  then 
to  be  separated  from  one  another,  the  varnish  forms 
threads  between  them,  as  it  must  then  be  removed  from 
the  fire.  When  nearly  cool,  add  about  an  equal  quantity 
of  oil  of  turpentine.  In  using  the  varnish,  the  stuff 
must  be  stretched,  and  the  varnish  applied  lukewarm 
In  twenty-four  hours,  it  will  dry. 

As  the  elastic  resin,  known  by  the  name  of  Indian 
rubber,  has  been  much  extolled  for  a  varnish  for  bal- 


176 


TI1E  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


loons,  the  following  method  of  making  it,  as  practised 
by  M.  Blanchard,  may  not  prove  unacceptable  :  Dissolve 
elastic  resin  cut  small  in  five  times  its  weight  of  recti¬ 
fied  essential  oil  of  turpentine,  by  keeping  tfiem  some 
days  together.  Then  boil  one  ounce  of  this  solution  in 
eight  ounces  of  drying  linseed  oil  for  a  few  minutes ; 
strain  the  solution,  and  use  it  warm. 


AND  VARNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


177 


DISEASES  AND  ACCIDENTS 

TO  WHICH  PAINTERS  AND  VARNISHERS  ARE  PARTICU¬ 
LARLY  LIABLE. 

The  business  of  a  painter  and  varnisher  is  generally, 
and  not  without  reason,  considered  an  unhealthy  one. 
Many  of  the  substances  which  he  is  necessarily  in  the 
habit  of  employing  are  of  a  nature  to  do  injury  to  the 
constitution ;  and  great  caution  and  care  are  required  to 
prevent  these  from  producing  serious  consequences. 
Much,  however,  of  the  mischief  that  is  done  arises  from 
the  want  of  proper  precaution ;  the  being  ignorant  of  the 
symptoms  of  disorder,  or  want  of  due  attention  to  them 
in  the  beginning;  and,  more  than  all,  the  use  of  improper 
remedies,  from  being  unacquainted  with  those  that  ought 
to  be  used.  I  thinh,  therefore,  that  I  shall  be  rendering 
an  acceptable  service  to  the  painter  and  varnisher  by 
mentioning  the  principal  diseases  to  which  their  occupa¬ 
tions  render  them  more  liable  than  persons  differently 
employed,  with  the  proper  means  of  remedy. 

Painters  Colic. 

This  disease,  the  most  common  and  the  most  danger¬ 
ous  to  which  painters  are  liable,  arises  with  them  from 
breathing  in  the  fumes  and  handling  the  different  pre- 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


parations  of  white  lead.  It  is  a  violent  species  of  colic, 
and  may  he  produced  by  other  causes;  hut  when  it 
proceeds  from  lead,  it  is  always  the  most  obstinate,  and 
the  most  tedious  and  difficult  of  cure. 

The  first  symptoms  are  a  pain  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach, 
gradually  increasing  and  proceeding  downwards  to  the 
bowels ;  it  is  particularly  violent  round  the  navel.  The 
person  is  likewise  afflicted  with  frequent  belching,  slight 
sickness  at  the  stomach,  continued  thirst,  a  quick  short 
pulse,  a  confinement  of  the  bowels,  and  repeated  attempts 
to  obtain  a  stool  without  effect. 

When  some  or  all  of  these  symptoms  are  experienced, 
a  strong  dose  of  castor  oil  should  be  immediately  taken 
and  repeated  till  it  opens  the  body  freely.  If  it  will  not 
act,  calomel  pills  must  he  taken  in  turn  with  the  castor 
oil ;  and  should  both  these  fail  to  purge  effectually,  a 
clyster  must  also  he  employed,  composed  of  ten  ounces 
of  senna  and  three  grains  of  opium  in  solution.  The 
warm  bath,  as  well  as  warm  fomentations  in  flannel  cloths 
of  the  lower  part  of  the  stomach,  are  extremely  service¬ 
able  in  relieving  the  spasms ;  and  should  the  symptoms 
continue,  a  blister  applied  to  the  abdomen  may  prove 
useful. 

The  person  affected  should  he  kept  as  quiet  as  possible, 
both  in  body  and  mind  :  he  should  take  no  wine,  spirits, 
malt  liquor,  nor  any  kind  of  solid  food ;  but  should  con¬ 
fine  himself  to  broth  diet,  and  copious  draughts  of  weak 
diluting  drinks,  such  as  barley-water. 

Where  the  bowels  are  very  obstinately  confined,  and 
the  person  is  young. and  of  a  full  habit,  it  may  be  advis- 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


179 


able  to  begin  with  taking  from  him  a  quantity  of  blood, 
according  to  circumstances,  in  order  to  prevent  iniiam- 
mation. 

I  have  not  mentioned  the  strength  of  the  doses  to  ue 
employed  as  purgatives,  because  that  must  be  determined 
by  the  constitution  of  the  sick  person  and  the  manner  in 
which  the  medicines  operate.  In  a  general  way,  re¬ 
member  never  to  give  too  strong  a  dose  at  once,  as  it  can 
always  be  repeated  as  often  as  may  be  found  necessary. 

If  the  remedies  I  have  mentioned  prove  successful  in 
removing  the  early  symptoms  of  the  dry  belly-ache, 
which  will  generally  be  the  case,  the  person  who  has 
suffered,  on  returning  to  his  work,  should,  if  possible, 
entirely  avoid,  for  some  time,  all  parts  of  his  business  in 
which  preparations  of  lead  are  employed.  He  should, 
also,  long  after  he  may  seem  to  feel  quite  well,  keep  to 
the  light  diet  I  have  mentioned  above,  or  he  may  bring 
on  a  relapse  worse  than  the  first  attack  of  the  disorder. 

Few  distempers  grow  more  rapidly  worse,  and  it  is  of 
the  utmost  importance  to  attend  to  its  first  symptoms, 
for  if  these  are  neglected,  the  most  frightful  consequences 
ensue.  The  violence  of  the  pains  increases  beyond  de¬ 
scription;  the  outside  of  the  belly  feels  pain  at  the  slight¬ 
est  touch,  and  the  muscles  inside  become  wrapped  into 
knots;  a  difficulty  of  making  water,  sometimes  amount¬ 
ing  to  almost  a  total  stoppage,  takes  place;  and  the 
bowels  are  so  contracted  by  spasms  as  scarcely  to  admit 
a  clyster.  If  these  symptoms  proceed,  the  spasms  become 
more  frequent  and  violent;  and  either  the  costivenesa 
cannot  be  overcome,  (in  which  case  inflammation  in  the 


180 


THE  I>AINTER,  GILDER, 


bowels  succeeds,  and  the  patient’s  death  is  certain,)  or, 
if  his  life  he  saved,  he  generally  remains  a  victim,  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree,  to  the  palsy. 

I  have  mentioned  these  fatal  circumstances  to  show 
the  necessity  of  immediately  attending  to  the  first  ap¬ 
pearance  of  this  dangerous  disorder.  In  an  advanced 
state  of  it,  I  do  not  pretend  to  prescribe — the  best  medi¬ 
cal  assistance  must  immediately  be  obtained.  The  re¬ 
medies  I  have  recommended  are  only  designed  for  that 
early  stage  of  the  distemper  of  which  the  symptoms 
have  already  been  described.  They  may  then  be  used 
with  advantage,  and,  if  persevered  in,  will  prevent  the 
danger  of  severer  suffering. 

Weakness  of  the  IFrisfe. 

This  is  a  partial  kind  of  palsy,  which  sometimes  re¬ 
mains  after  the  painter’s  colic  is  cured.  In  some  cases, 
too,  it  comes  on  without  any  previous  attack  of  that  dis¬ 
order,  where  the  injury  has  been  more  owing  to  handling 
lead  than  inhaling  its  fumes. 

Where  this  weakness  of  the  wrists  is  experienced  by 
a  painter,  let  him  take,  three  or  four  times  a-day,  a  dose 
of  nitrate  of  silver,  of  from  one  to  three  grains,  according 
to  the  manner  in  which  it  may  operate.  Before  taking 
each  of  these  doses,  he  should  also  take  some  castor  oil. 
If  it  purge  him  too  violently,  let  a  little  opium  be  mixed 
with  the  dose,  lest  bloody  stools  should  be  brought  on. 
It  is  better  to  give  the  nitrate  of  silver  in  solution  than 
in  a  solid  form 


AND  VARNISHED’S  COMPANION. 


181 


Where  the  bowels  are  so  weak  as  to  make  any  strong 
purge  dangerous,  this  weakness  of  the  wrists  has  often 
been  cured  by  rubbing  a  drachm  of  strong  mercurial 
ointment  upon  them  every  night  and  morning  till  the 
mouth  became  sore.  Indeed,  this  will  always  be  found 
a  useful  application. 

One  of  the  best  methods  in  the  weakness  of  the  wrists 
arising  from  the  handling  of  lead  is,  in  addition  to  the 
taking  of  medicine  or  the  application  of  mercurial  oint¬ 
ment,  to  make  use  of  a  splint,  made  something  like  a 
battledore,  fastened  under  the  forearm,  and  continued 
to  the  extremities  of  the  fingers.  This  has,  in  many  in¬ 
stances,  restored  the  strength  of  the  wrists,  even  where 
the  weakness  amounted  to  complete  palsy. 

I  have  already  observed  that  confirmed  palsy  may  be 
the  effect  of  a  violent  attack  of  the  painter’s  colic.  The 
remarks,  however,  which  I  made  under  that  head  apply 
here.  I  shall  not  venture  to  prescribe  for  that  melan¬ 
choly  state  of  disease.  My  object  is  not  to  point  out 
remedies  for  those  extreme  cases,  but  to  suggest  the  best 
means  of  preventing  them. 


Effects  of  Poisonous  Substances  used  in  Painting  and 
Varnishing. 

These  are  principally  lead,  quicksilver,  arsenic,  and 
verdigris.  Of  the  injurious  effects  of  lead  I  have  already 
spoken.  Arsenic  is  found  in  some  particular  colours, 
especially  in  orpiment  and  realgar ;  and  the  circumstance 
is  a  strong  objection  to  the  use  of  them.  Quicksilver 
16 


182 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


enters  into  the  composition  of  various  amalgams  em¬ 
ployed  in  lacquering  and  gilding.  The  poisonous  pro¬ 
perties  of  verdigris  are  well  known. 

It  cannot  he  too  strongly  impressed  upon  the  mind  of 
the  painter  or  varnisher  that  mineral  poisons  of  every 
description  are  as  effectually  taken  into  the  system  of  the 
body  by  handling  them,  or  inhaling  their  fumes,  as  by 
actually  swallowing  them;  and  that  the  consequences, 
chough  not  so  immediately  fatal,  are  as  certainly  inju¬ 
rious.  Care  should  therefore  be  taken  not  to  handle 
them  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary;  and  likewise, 
by  keeping  a  thorough  draft  of  air,  and  leaning  as  little 
as  possible  over  such  substances  during  their  preparation, 
to  avoid,  as  much  as  in  your  power,  the  breathing  in  the 
fumes  arising  from  them. 

But  as  you  cannot  entirely  escape  these,  it  will  be 
well  to  know  how  to  distinguish  their  respective  cha¬ 
racters.  The  effects  of  lead  are  sufficiently  distinguished 
by  the  peculiar  diseases  it  produces,  which  have  been 
noticed  before.  Arsenic  and  quicksilver  are  attended 
with  different  consequences.  When  the  former  has 
found  its  way  into  the  stomach,  it  will  occasion  a  prick¬ 
ing  and  burning  sensation,  with  thirst  and  sometimes 
vomiting.  A  pain  will  likewise  be  felt  in  the  bowels, 
but  without  producing  purging.  If,  after  using  colours 
which  contain  a  mixture  of  arsenic,  you  experience  any 
of  these  symptoms,  a  little  fresh  charcoal,  powdered  fine, 
in  small  doses  repeated,  will  be  found  very  serviceable. 
An  emetic  should  also  be  taken,  and  the  body  kept  wek 
open. 


AND  VARNISFER’S  COMPANION 


183 


Tlie  fumes  or  handling  of  quicksilver  produce,  besides 
the  symptoms  mentioned  in  speaking  of  arsenic,  saliva¬ 
tion  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  bad  breath,  griping 
pains  in  the  stomach,  and  severe  purging.  White  of 
egg,  dissolved  in  water  and  filtered,  and  diluted  as  cir¬ 
cumstances  require,  is  one  of  the  best  remedies  when 
these  symptoms  are  violent.  A  very  good  emetic,  in 
such  cases,  is  one  ounce  of  sub-carbonate  of  magnesia 
dissolved  in  a  pint  of  water;  a  glassful  of  the  mixture 
being  taken  every  few  minutes,  at  such  intervals  as  are 
needful  to  promote  vomiting. 

Verdigris  is  readily  distinguished  by  its  nauseous  and 
corroding  effects  upon  the  stomach.  If  you  have  reason 
to  think  you  have  suffered  from  the  frequent  use  of  this 
colour,  common  sugar,  taken  in  such  quantities  as  to 
open  the  bowels  frequently,  will  be  found  the  very  best 
remedy. 

I  strongly  recommend  to  every  painter  and  varnisher, 
when  engaged  in  any  part  of  his  business  which  requires 
him  to  employ  a  poisonous  substance,  whether  lead  or 
any  other,  the  use  of  tobacco — I  mean  chewing  it.  It  is 
the  most  powerful  check  to  a  substance  acting  to  produce 
spasms,  by  suspending  the  muscular  action  in  the  sto¬ 
mach.  In  short,  tobacco  possesses  in  this  respect  the 
advantages  without  the  danger  of  opium,  and  has  been 
found  of  the  greatest  service  to  persons  in  the  trades 
above  mentioned.  At  the  same  time,  persons  who  use 
it  for  the  purpose  I  have  stated,  should  be  careful  not  to 
indulge  in  the  practice  too  freely ;  for  the  excessive 
chewing  of  tobacco  will  not  only  occasion  a  felling  of 


184 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


stupid  languor,  which  unfits  a  man  for  exertion,  hut  may 
in  time  bring  on  a  disease  almost  as  much  to  he  dreaded 
as  the  evils  which  it  is  intended  to  guard  against. 

Nausea. 

Oil  of  turpentine,  burnt  oils  of  several  descriptions, 
and  some  other  substances  used  in  painting  and  varnish¬ 
ing,  give  out  fumes,  which,  though  not  of  a  poisonous 
nature,  are  apt  to  occasion  a  slight  sickness  at  the  sto¬ 
mach,  accompanied  with  a  headache  and  a  fainting  sen¬ 
sation,  to  persons  whose  nerves  are  not  strong :  and 
these  effects  are  frequently  felt  by  young  people  before 
they  become  accustomed  to  the  business.  In  many 
cases,  removing  for  a  short  time  from  the  offensive  fumes 
into  a  pure  air,  and  drinking  a  very  little  spring  water, 
will  dissipate  these  feelings.  If  they  return,  some  open¬ 
ing  medicine,  or  an  emetic  should  be  taken,  which,  if  a 
foul  stomach,  as  often  happens,  has  been  the  cause,  will 
remove  it.  But  if  you  are  a  beginner  in  the  business, 
and  find  yourself  constantly  affected  in  this  manner  on 
such  occasions,  I  would  advise  you  to  turn  to  some  other 
occupation ;  for  a  person  of  decidedly  weak  nerves  will 
be  subject  to  constant  ill  health  as  a  painter. 

Burns  and  Scalds. 

In  no  business  are  these  accidents  more  liable  to  occur 
to  the  persons  engaged  in  it  than  in  painting,  varnish¬ 
ing,  and  gilding. 

In  all  scalds  and  burns,  it  is  of  the  first  importance  to 


AND  VARNISHER’ S  COMPANION. 


185 


apply  a  remedy  at  the  instant.  Spirit  of  wine  or  turpen¬ 
tine,  applied  at  the  moment,  generally  prevents  the  rising 
of  blisters;  if  it  be  rectified  spirits,  it  is  so  much  the 
better.  Spirit  of  wine  or  turpentine  is  decidedly  the  best 
immediate  remedy  when  the  skin  is  broken.  If  the  vio¬ 
lence  or  size  of  the  burns  or  scalds  render  the  application 
of  the  spirit  in  the  common  way  too  painful,  cover  the 
injured  parts  with  pieces  of  bladder  softened  by  dipping 
them  in  warm  water,  and  keep  the  outer  surface  con¬ 
stantly  wett  'd  with  the  spirit. 

When  the  burn  is  considerable,  fresh  yolk  of  egg  (if 
spirit  is  not  at  hand)  applied  to  it  will  relieve  the  pain 
and  forward  the  cure.  A  salve  composed  of  one  part  of 
yellow  wax  and  three  parts  of  olive  oil,  which  you  can 
easily  make  yourself  and  carry  about  you,  in  case  of  an 
accident,  will  likewise  be  extremely  useful  if  applied  at 
the  moment  of  its  happening. 

Scraped  potato  is  very  often  applied  to  a  scald  or 
burn.  Some  have  pronounced  it  a  certain  cure,  others 
have  called  it  injurious  :  both  parties  are  wrong.  The 
fact  is,  it  does  nothing  towards  curing  the  burn ;  but  if 
applied  at  the  first  moment,  it  prevents  its  becoming 
worse,  and  relieves  the  pain.  It  is  therefore  very  right 
to  apply  it,  if  no  other  remedy  be  near,  till  a  better  can 
be  procured.  Water,  however,  is  almost  always  to  be 
obtained,  and,  in  the  absence  of  other  remedies,  should 
instantly  be  had  recourse  to.  The  part  or  parts  which 
have  been  injured  should,  without  a  moment’s  delay,  be 
plunged  into  very  cold  water,  or  plentifully  pumped 
upon,  and  an  astonishingly  rapid  change  from  torture  to 
16* 


186 


THE  PATNTER,  GTTjHER, 


ease  Will  take  place.  After  tlie  immersion  has  continued 
a  proper  length  of  time,  the  parts  injured  should  be  co¬ 
vered  with  linen  rags  continually  kept  wetted  with  water 
and  streams  of  air  passed  over  them  from  time  to  time 
by  a  pair  of  bellows,  till  the  person  feels  a  freezing 
sensation. 

Water  is  always  serviceable  in  burns;  and  where  the 
skin  is  not  broken,  many  eminent  surgeons  consider  it 
as  the  best  of  remedies. 


AND  VARNISHEr’s  COMPANION. 


187 


GENERAL  OBSERVATIONS. 

I  shall  conclude  this  subject  with  a  few  general  re¬ 
marks,  principally  respecting  the  diet  and  manner  of 
living  of  the  painter ;  on  which,  indeed,  his  exemption 
from  the  diseases  which  so  severely  affect  many  in  his 
trade  mainly  depend. 

He  should  avoid  all  acid  drinks,  such  as  cider  and 
effervescing  liquors ;  and  abstain  as  much  as  possible 
from  sours  both  in  food  and  drink,  even  the  use  of  vine¬ 
gar  ;  for  acids  have  a  particular  tendency  to  combine 
with  any  portion  of  lead  that  he  may  have  imbibed,  and 
will  act  upon  the  stomach  in  a  most  injurious  manner. 

When  a  griping  feeling  is  experienced  by  the  painter, 
he  often  has  recourse  to  a  glass  of  raw  spirits,  with  the 
idea  of  obtaining  relief.  Now,  he  cannot  commit  a 
greater  error.  This  feeling  indicates  the  commencement 
of  that  dangerous  disorder,  the  dry  belly-ache,  and  spirit¬ 
uous  liquors  will  both  bring  it  on  more  rapidly  and  ag¬ 
gravate  the  symptoms.  There  is,  besides,  a  vulgar  but 
most  mistaken  notion  that  spirits  taken  inwardly  are 
useful  in  guarding  against  the  fumes  of  lead  and  other 
poisonous  substances.  And  it  is  melancholy  to  see  the 
number  of  persons  engaged  in  the  painting  and  varnish¬ 
ing  line  who,  from  this  false  idea,  are  led  to  adopt  the 
pernicious  practice  of  drinking  drams  in  the  morning; 


188 


THE  PAINTER,  GII/OER, 


and  not  unfrequently,  from  the  hold  this  destructive  habit 
gains  upon  them,  at  other  times  of  the  day  too.  Now, 
so  far  from  this  practice  being  serviceable,  I  can  assure 
the  dram-drinlung  painter  that,  whenever  he  is  attacked 
by  that  disease,  so  dangerous  to  those  in  his  trade,  he 
will  find  it  rendered  far  more  violent  by  his  previous  use 
of  spirituous  liquors  and  more  likely  to  terminate  in  in¬ 
flammation  or  palsy.  Ardent  spirits  in  a  raw  state 
should  never  be  touched  by  the  painter;  and  when 
taken  mixed,  they  should  rather  be  weak  than  otherwise. 

I  have  had  frequent  occasion  to  observe  that  painters 
in  general  are  partial  to  a  great  deal  of  solid  and  high- 
seasoned  food.  Now,  it  will  be  perceived  that  the  disor¬ 
der  from  which  they  have  most  to  fear,  and  which  is 
most  common  among  them,  is  always  attended  by  acon- 
fined  state  of  the  bowels,  from  which  its  principal  danger 
arises.  A  painter  who  regards  his  health  should  always 
prefer  such  food  as  is  light  and  easy  of  digestion ;  and 
if  he  take  any  solids,  it  should  be  in  small  quantities,  and 
not  frequently.  For  the  same  reason,  though  I  do  not 
condemn  malt  liquor  to  a  painter  in  good  health,  I 
should  advise  him  not  to  take  it  in  large  quantities  at  a 
time,  as  it  is  heavy  on  the  stomach.  The  lead  which 
he  cannot  avoid  more  or  less  imbibing  has  a  tendency  to 
make  him  costive ;  and  his  business  is  not,  like  some 
others,  accompanied  with  strong  exercise  to  promote 
digestion. 

I  need  scarcely  remark  on  the  advantages  of  cleanli¬ 
ness  in  his  parson  to  him,  since  the  handling  of  prepara- 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


189 


tions  of  lead  is  one  of  the  injurious  parts  of  his  occu¬ 
pation. 

In  conclusion,  let  me  once  more  impress  upon  him 
the  importance  and  necessity  of  Temperance.  The 
neglect  of  it  in  a  workman  of  any  other  description 
may  bring  him  to  sickness,  must  bring  him  to  poverty ; 
hut  the  intemperate  and  drunken  Painter  or  Varnisher 
makes  the  most  rapid  strides  in  his  power  to  bring  upon 
himself  painful  sickness,  and  very  often  prematu?  i 
death. 


100 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRAINING  AND  IMITATING 
WOODS  AND  MARBLES. 


1.— OAK. 

Imitation  of  Oak  being  so  rnucli  in  demand,  it  is 
of  importance  that  the  pupil  should  practise  upon  it 
before  any  other  wood;  for  that  purpose  you  will 
require  the  following  tools  : — 

Combs. 

Gutta  perclia  is  the  best  material  for  making  combs ; 
it  is  cheap,  wears  well,  is  easily  cut  into  any  size  or 
form,  and  makes  clean  work.  Purchase  a  piece  of 
gutta  percha,  one  foot  square  and  one-eiglith  of  an 
inch  thick,  cut  it  into  squares,  varying  from  one  to 
four  inches,  and  be  particular  in  cutting  the  edges 
straight;  take  one  of  the  squares,  and  with  a  pen¬ 
knife  cut  the  edge  to  the  depth  of  a  quarter  of  an 
inch,  leaving  a  small  space  between  each  tooth.  If 
you  cut  in  a  slanting  direction  each  way,  you  will 
thereby  form  the  teeth  of  the  comb  and  the  space 
together ;  by  this  method  you  can  make  them  fine  or 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


191 


coarse,  to  suit  jour  work.  For  very  particular  work 
I  use  two  or  three  combs  made  of  cork ;  they  are 
objectionable  for  general  use,  as  they  soon  wear  out. 
Take  a  flat  piece  of  fine-grained  cork,  as  free  from 
boles  as  possible,  square  it  as  truly  as  you  can,  cut 
the  square  edge  into  teeth  to  the  sizes  you  want, 
leaving  the  teeth  as  square  and  evenly  cut  as  possible  \ 
these,  with  two  or  three  of  the  finest  cut  steel  combs, 
are  all  you  require. 


Brushes. 

1.  Common  pound-brush  and  sash-tool. 

2.  Long  hog’s-hair  overgrainer. 

3.  Badger-hair  softener. 

4.  Sponge. 


Colours,  &c. 

Vandyke  brown,  both  ground  in  oil  and  water. 

Raw  and  burnt  sienna,  do. 

Turkey  umber  raw  and  burnt,  ground  in  oil. 

Oxford  ochre,  do. 

Sugar  of  lead,  do. 

Blue  black,  ground  in  water. 

Bees-wax,  linseed  oil,  and  turpentine. 

The  above  colours  are  all  that  are  necessary  for  any 
description  of  oak. 

You  will  require  a  few  smooth  boards  for  practising 
upon.  Bastard  mahogany  or  baywood  is  the  best 
wood  to  make  them  of,  as  it  is  not  so  liable  to  warp 
as  deal.  The  best  size  is  about  two  feet  by  one  foot. 


192 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Prepare  them  with  four  coats  of  paint  in  the  usual 
way,  taking  care  to  get  them  up  as  smooth  as  possible; 
the  best  ground  colours  are  made  from  the  following 
colours  mixed  with  white  lead  : — 

For  light  oak — Oxford  ochre  and  white. 

Middle  shade — Oxford  ochre,  with  a  little  Venetian 
red. 

Dark  oak — Oxford  ochre,  orange  chrome,  Venetian 
red,  and  burnt  umber. 

Graining  Colour. 

For  light  oak,  mix  two-thirds  linseed  oil  with  one- 
third  turpentine;  add  a  little  Vandyke  brown  or 
burnt  umber.  If  you  want  a  warm  colour,  add  burnt 
sienna;  if  a  yellow  colour,  add  raw  sienna  or  Oxford 
ochre.  Melt  bees-wax  in  oil,  and  mix  a  small  quan¬ 
tity  with  the  colour :  this  is  to  prevent  the  colour  from 
running  when  you  have  combed  it.  You  must  take 
particular  care  that  it  is  well  mixed  together.  Add  to 
the  above  a  quantity  of  sugar  of  lead  or  other  dryers, 
then  strain  it  through  a  double  fold  of  fine  muslin. 

Your  graining  colour  being  now  prepared,  brush 
over  your  board  with  it,  taking  care  not  to  put  too 
much  on ;  if  you  do  so  you  will  make  dirty  work :  lay 
it  quite  level,  and  uniform  in  colour.  Now  take  a 
gutta  percha  comb,  and  draw  it  straight  down  the  full 
breadth  of  the  comb,  beginning  at  one  side  of  the 
board ;  by  slightly  inclining  the  comb  you  will  make 
the  grain  finer.  Now  take  a  fine  steel  comb,  and  go 
over  the  whole  of  the  previous  combing  in  a  slightly 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  198 

waving  or  zigzag  manner;  practice  will  soon  enable 
you  to  do  this  with  ease.  You  must  get  a  piece  of  real 
oak,  and  endeavour  to  imitate  the  natural  grain ;  if 
you  can  get  a  piece  full  of  figure  or  veins,  so  much 
the  better,  as  it  will  be  the  best  guide  you  can  have. 
Your  board  being  combed,  you  must  now  take  a  piece 
of  soft  rag  and  double  it  over  your  thumb,  holding  it 
tight  on  the  end  of  the  nail,  and  try  to  imitate  the 
figuring  on  the  real  oak.  You  may  make  some  excel¬ 
lent  figuring  by  using  the  blank  end  of  the  steel  comb 
with  the  rag  over  it.  You  will  find  it  very  difficult  to 
do  this  at  first,  but  you  must  in  this,  as  in  every  thing 
else,  adopt  the  motto,  “  that  if  at  first  you  don’t  suc¬ 
ceed,  try,  try,  try  again.”  Do  not  practise  too  much 
from  one  piece  of  oak,  as  by  doing  so  you  are  apt  to 
acquire  a  stiff  and  formal  style,  but  endeavour  to  vary 
it  as  much  as  possible.  You  have  now  combed  and 
figured  it :  when  dry  it  is  ready  for  overgraining ;  for 
that  purpose  you  will  want  a  sponge,  a  basin  and 
plate,  fuller’s  earth,  Vandyke  brown,  a  little  blue 
black,  some  stale  beer,  badger-hair  softener,  and  over- 
grainer.  Put  some  water  into  the  basin,  dissolve  a 
little  fuller’s  earth  in  it;  wet  your  sponge  with  this 
and  rub  over  your  board ;  now  take  a  little  of  the 
Vandyke  brown,  with  a  small  quantity  of  the  blue 
black,  and  mix  them  together  with  weak  beer  in  the 
plate;  dip  your  overgrainer  into  this  mixture,  and 
draw  it  straight  down  or  across  the  board ;  soften  ii  a 
little  with  the  badger  :  this,  if  properly  done,  will  give 
it  a  natural  and  pleasing  appearance.  By  making  the 
17 


194 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


ground  and  graining  colours  darker,  you  can  produce 
any  shade  of  oak  in  the  same  manner.  To  produce  a 
rich  dark  old  oak  you  must  proceed  as  above,  and  then 
glaze  it  over  as  follows  : — Mix  some  black  japan  with 
turpentine  and  a  little  boiled  oil ;  add  a  little  burnt 
sienna  or  Victoria  lake,  and  go  over  the  whole  of  the 
work  with  it.  This  mixture  will  give  it  an  exceed¬ 
ingly  rich  appearance  when  varnished. 

2.— SPIRIT  COLOUR. 

This  colour  is  not  so  good  as  oil  colour,  but  is  very 
useful  at  times  on  account  of  its  quick  drying  quali¬ 
ties.  It  is  made  as  follows  : — Grind  a  quantity  of  the 
best  washed  whitening  in  turpentine,  mix  with  it 
either  Vandyke  brown,  burnt  umber,  or  Oxford  ochre, 
ground  in  oil,  in  quantity  according  to  the  shade  you 
want;  add  to  this  a  sufficient  quantity  of  turpentine 
varnish  to  hind  or  fasten  the  colour ;  thin  it  with  tur¬ 
pentine;  rub  your  panel  in  and  comb  it  quickly,  or  it 
will  set  before  you  can  do  so.  It  dries  quite  dead 
when  it  has  stood  a  short  time.  Take  a  flat  liog’s- 
hair  fitch,  dip  it  into  a  solution  of  Scotch  soda  and 
water  with  a  little  burnt  sienna  mixed  with  it;  mark 
out  your  figure  with  this,  taking  care  not  to  put  too 
much  on,  or  it  will  run ;  and  remember  that  wherever 
the  soda  touches  it  will  destroy  the  graining  colour. 
When  you  have  figured  your  panel,  wash  off  quickly 
with  a  sponge  and  plenty  of  clean  water;  the  figure 
will  stand  out  clear  and  bright.  Now  go  over  the 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  Ido 

■whole  with  a  brush  and  weak  beer,  and  overgrain  in 
the  usual  way.  By  this  method  you  may  grain  and 
varnish  a  door  in  a  couple  of  hours’  time. 

8. — POLLABD  OAK. 

This  oak  is  interspersed  alternately  with  knots  and 
figuring,  generally  arranged  in  a  waving  and  graceful 
form.  To  grain  this  wood  in  oil  colour,  proceed  as 
follows : — Rub  in  with  your  light  graining  colour,  mix 
a  little  colour  several  shades  darker,  put  a  touch  of 
this  colour  here  and  there,  according  to  the  size  you 
want  the  knots )  with  the  same  colour  put  in  a  few 
strokes,  in  sweeping  or  graceful  lines,  from  one  mass 
of  knots  to  another ;  now  comb  it  with  a  coarse  comb 
in  the  direction  of  the  knots,  sweeping  round  them 
with  the  comb ;  where  you  cannot  do  this,  you  must 
work  it  out  with  your  nail  and  the  rag,  keeping  all  in 
an  easy  flowing  style.  It  is  only  by  constant  practice 
that  you  will  be  enabled  to  do  this  with  freedom. 
Now  figure  it,  starting  from  the  knots  in  very  fine 
strokes,  gradually  enlarging  as  you  get  into  the  plain 
spaces.  To  overgrain  this,  proceed  as  before,  and 
shade  across  the  grain  and  amongst  the  knots.  Gene¬ 
rally  speaking,  wherever  there  is  a  twist  or  wave  in 
the  grain  there  will  be  a  shade.  Now  take  a  pencil 
and  touch  up  the  grain  about  the  knots,  and  put 
strokes  of  dark  colour  across  them,  to  imitate  the 
cracks  you  may  see  in  nearly  all  knots. 


06 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


4.— ROOT  OF  OAK. 

This  oak  consists  of  a  succession  of  masses  of  knots, 
with  the  grain  twisting  and  curling  round  each  knot 
and  mass  of  knots,  running  into  aud  round  each' 
other;  what  figuring  it  has  is  very  small,  and  runs 
with  the  grain.  It  may  be  done  iu  exactly  the  same 
manner  as  the  pollard  oak,  and  enriched  by  glazing 
with  the  dark  oak  glazing  colour 

5.— TO  GRAIN  POLLARD  AND  ROOT  OF  OAK 
IN  DISTEMPER. 

Damp  down  your  work  with  the  sponge  and  fuller’s 
earth,  mix  Vandyke  brown  with  a  little  burnt  sienna, 
dip  a  clean  sash-tool  into  beer,  then  into  the  colour, 
spread  it  on  to  your  work,  using  it  freely.  Now  take 
your  tool  and  a  little  dark  colour,  and  press  it  against 
the  panel  here  and  there,  making  the  hairs  spread  out; 
then  suddenly  draw  it  away,  soften  it  a  little  with  the  ' 
badger;  take  a  small  round  hog’s-hair  quill  tool,  dip  it 
into  dark  colour,  hold  it  between  your  right-hand 
finger  and  thumb,  put  the  point  against  your  work  in 
the  places  where  you  have  pressed  your  large  tool, 
give  it  a  sharp  twist;  by  doing  this  properly  you  will 
form  the  imitation  of  a  knot.  When  dry,  use  the 
small  overgrainer  and  weak  colour;  dip  the  over- 
grainer  in,  then  draw  a  common  comb  through  it  to 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


197 


separate  the  hairs;  now  draw  it  across  the  panel,  giv¬ 
ing  it  a  sort  of  half-circular  stroke,  slightly  zigzag; 
while  it  is  wet  badger-  it,  taking  particular  care  only  to 
use  the  badger  one  way,  either  up  or  down.  By  doing 
this  carefully,  you  will  form  a  light  and  dark  grain  at 
the  same  time.  When  you  have  sufficiently  practised 
this  method  you  will  be  able  to  produce  some  very 
good  effects. 


6.— WALNUT. 

Walnut  may  be  imitated  in  exactly  the  same 
manner  as  the  above,  using  more  black  in  ycir 
graining  colour. 

7.— BIRD’S-EYE  MAPLE  IN  DISTEMPER. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  delicate  and  beautiful  of 
woods,  and  requires  great  care  and  cleanliness  in 
working.  To  imitate  it  you  will  require  the  following 
tools  : — Badger ;  one  4-inch  hog’s-hair  mottler ;  one 
thick  2-inch  hog’s-hair  mottler;  one  1-inch  short- 
haired  hog’s-hair  mottler ;  one  3-inch,  2-inch,  and  1- 
inch  camel-hair  mottlers;  one  2-inch  sable-hair  pencil 
overgrainer;  a  single  pencil. 

The  best  ground  colour  Tor  graining  maple  upon  is 
a  light  cream  colour,  and  the  best  colour  to  grain  it 
with  is  Vandyke  brown,  mixed  with  a  little  raw  sienn* 
Rub  over  your  panel  with  a  damp  chamois  or  wash- 
leather;  dip  a  large  sash-tool  into  stale  beer,  then  into 

17* 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


108 

the  colour;  spread  it  evenly  on  your  work,  badger  it 
until  you  get  it  as  uniform  in  colour  as  possible ; 
take  the  large  hog’s-hair  mottler,  damp  it  with  clean 
water;  now  begin  at  the  top  of  your  panel,  and  with 
the  end  of  the  mottler  touch  the  panel,  drawing  it 
down  at  the  same  time  for  about  half  an  inch,  hold¬ 
ing  it  in  an  angular  direction ;  by  doing  so  you  will 
take  off  a  slanting  strip  of  colour.  Go  on  in  the  same 
way  to  the  bottom  of  the  panel,  leaving  unequal  stri|  s 
of  light  and  shade;  now  go  over  this  again  in  the 
same  way,  but  holding  your  mottler  in  the  opposite 
direction ;  you  will  form  a  sort  of  irregular  checkered 
pattern ;  lightly  badger  this  across  the  panel  until  it 
appears  soft  and  mellow ;  now  slightly  soften  in  an 
upward  direction.  As  you  become  used  to  the  tools, 
you  will  be  able  to  modify  the  figure  and  give  variety. 
Now  take  your  short-haired  hog’s-hair  mottler,  damp  it, 
and  with  one  corner  of  it  take  off  a  touch  of  the  colour 
on  the  top  of  each  shade;  these  are  to  imitate  the 
bright  light,  or  reflection,  that  accompanies  a  knot  or 
bird’s-eye;  with  a  pencil,  and  dark  colour,  form  the 
eye  just  under  the  extreme  point  of  the  bright  light ; 
for  common  work,  a  dot  with  the  end  of  your  finger 
will  suffice. 

To  overgrain  this,  take  a  little  of  the  colour  and 
tint  it  with  a  small  quantity  of  Indian  red,  or  lake ; 
you  must  only  have  it  of  sufficient  depth  of  colour 
barely  to  show  on  your  work ;  if  too  deep  it  looks 
coarse.  With  a  pencil  and  this  colour  begin  to  curl 
a  fine  line  round  one  of  your  principal  knots,  gra- 


AND  VARNISIIER  S  COMPANION 


199 


dually  extending  from  one  to  another,  keeping  either 
in  the  centre  or  to  the  side  of  the  panel  until  you 
have  carried  it  from  top  to  bottom.  Now  take  your 
pencil  overgrainer,  dipped  in  the  same  colour,  and 
draw  it  down  parallel  with  your  pencil-work,  and  fill 
up  the  rest  of  the  panel  with  it. 

8.— TO  GRAIN  MAPLE  IN  OIL. 

I  am  not  aware  that  any  one  has  attempted  to  grain 
this  wood  in  oil  before  I  did,  and  I  have  only  taught  it 
to  two  grainers.  It  takes  considerably  more  time  to 
execute  than  in  distemper;  but,  if  well  done,  it  is 
infinitely  superior  in  every  respect.  The  ground 
should  be  got  up  very  smoothly,  in  such  a  manner 
that  you  will  not  have  to  use  sand-paper  on  the  last 
coat.  Prepare  your  colour  in  the  same  way  as  the 
light  oak  graining  colour,  using  Vandyke  brown  and 
a  little  raw  sienna  to  stain  with ;  strain  it  well,  taking 
particular  care  that  it  is  free  from  the  slightest  par¬ 
ticle  of  grit;  rub  in  your  panel  with  it;  take  a  damp 
wash-leather,  roll  it  up  tight,  and  use  it  as  a  mottler; 
soften  well  with  the  badger;  get  a  pencil-stick,  cut 
one  end  of  it  into  an  oval  form,  wrap  a  strip  of  wash- 
leather  round  the  oval,  in  such  a  manner  that  only 
one  thickness  of  it  will  appear  round  the  end  of  the 
oval ;  tie  it  fast ;  now  dip  it  into  dark  colour  and  dot 
in  the  eyes  with  it,  then  use  the  leather  on  your 
thumb-nail  to  form  the  bright  lights  springing  from 


230 


TIIE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


the  knots  or  eyes;  when  dry,  you  can  otergrain  it 
either  in  distemper  or  oil. 


9.— SATIN-WOOD. 

The  proper  ground  for  this  wood  is  a  yellow  cream 
colour,  made  from  Oxford  ochre  and  chrome  yellow. 
The  best  colour  to  grain  it  with  is  sienna,  with  a 
slight  touch  of  Vandyke  brown  and  burnt  sienna 
mixed  with  it.  This  wood  has  a  great  similarity  to 
mahogany  in  the  form  of  its  grain ;  if  you  can  grain 
one  well,  you  can  the  other.  Rub  in  your  colour, 
using  beer  and  a  sash-tool ;  dip  a  sponge  or  wash- 
leather  in  clean  water,  and  draw  it  down  your  panel, 
partially  clearing  off  the  colour  in  places  as  you  go  on. 
Now  take  the  mahogany,  or  thin  hog’s-hair  mottler, 
and  cut  out  portions  of  the  colour  that  is  left  on  the 
panel ;  in  this  way  you  will  form  the  lights  or  reflec¬ 
tions  you  may  see  in  the  real  wood,  or  in  a  piece  of 
Spanish  mahogany,  which  will  do  as  well;  they  are 
just  the  same,  only  not  so  large.  Badger  it  cross-way 
of  the  panel ;  you  must  occasionally  use  a  camel-hair 
mottler ;  press  it  against  your  work,  and  draw  it  down 
with  a  slight  jerking  motion ;  this  will  form  a  very 
close  and  regular  mottle.  To  overgrain  it,  use  the 
mahogany  overgrainer,  or  flat  sable,  (divided  with  the 
comb,)  dipped  into  a  tint  of  blue  black  in  weak  beer. 
To  imitate  the  curl,  or  feather,  lay  on  very  light  colour 
freely;  then  take  a  small  tool,  or  flat  fitch,  and  with 
colour  several  shades  darker  make  a  succession  of  half- 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


201 


circles,  one  above  the  other,  beginning  at  the  bottom 
of  the  panel,  gradually  reducing  the  sweep  of  the 
circle  as  you  rise  to  the  top.  While  it  is  wet,  take 
the  mahogany  mottler  and  cut  out  the  lights,  spray¬ 
ing  them  from  the  centre  of  the  circle  each  way. 
Overgrain  as  before,  taking  care  to  run  the  grain  in 
the  same  direction  as  the  half-circles. 

10.— MAHOGANY  IN  DISTEMPER. 

Ground  colour  made  with  red  lead,  Venetian  red, 
and  orange  chrome  :  graining  colours,  Vandyke  brown, 
burnt  sienna,  and  Victoria  lake.  This  lake  is  not 
much  known  as  a  graining  colour;  there  is  no  colour 
equal  to  it  for  mahogany.  To  grain  this  wood  you 
must  proceed  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  for  satin- 
wood,  with  this  addition,  that  while  the  colour  is  wet 
you  must  stipple  or  dapple  it  all  over  with  the  end 
of  the  badger,  to  imitate  the  pores  of  the  wood ;  this 
will  give  it  a  very  natural  appearance.  Overgrain 
with  Vandyke  brown  and  blue  black. 

11.— MAHOGANY  IN  OIL. 

Mix  a  light  colour  in  exactly  the  same  way  as  for 
light  oak,  using  burnt  sienna  to  stain  with;  rub  in 
your  panel  with  it,  mix  a  dark  colour  with  Victoria 
lake  and  Vandyke  brown  ;  use  this  with  a  small  tool, 
or  fitch  to  put  in  the  dark  shades;  mottle  it  with  a 
piece  of  stiff  card-board,  or  a  rag  or  leather  drawn  tight 


202 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


over  a  steel  comb ;  badger  it  well.  When  dry,  glaze 
it  all  over  with  Victoria  lake  in  distemper,  and  while 
wet,  stipple  with  the  end  of  the  badger,  and  overgrain 
as  before. 


12.— ROSEWOOD. 

Rub  in  with  a  light  distemper  colour,  made  with 
Vandyke  brown  and  burnt  sienna;  take  a  sash-tool 
and  dark  colour,  made  with  Vandyke  brown  and  Vic¬ 
toria  lake,  and  put  in  some  broad  irregular  shades, 
leaving  light  spaces  running  between :  now  use  your 
overgrainer  and  blue  black,  curling  or  crossing  the 
dark  parts,  making  some  straight,  others  broken,  just 
as  you  see  it  in  the  real  wood ;  where  you  cannot  use 
the  overgrainer  with  effect,  use  a  pencil ;  when  .dry, 
glaze  it  all  over  with  Victoria  lake  in  oil,  wiping  it  out 
in  places.  This  will  give  it  a  very  rich  appearance. 

The  foregoing  are  all  the  woods  that  need  be  de¬ 
scribed  here, — in  fact,  all  that  are  adapted  to  general 
use.  If  you  can  grain  these  well,  you  will  be  able  to 
imitate  any  other  on  exactly  the  same  principles. 


AND  VARNISIIER  S  COMPANION. 


203 


MARBLES. 


The  following  are  the  principal  marbles  for  adapta 
tion  to  general  use  in  decoration  : — 


Sienna, 

Black  and  Gold, 
Saint  Ann’s, 
Yerd  Antique, 
Egyptian  Green, 
Rouge  Roi, 


Italian  Jasper, 

Dove, 

Black  Bardilla, 
Derbyshire  Spar,  and 
Granites. 


Sienna. 


This  marble  is  the  most  useful  of  any,  as  it  is  well 
adapted  for  decorating  halls,  staircases,  &c.  Out  of  a 
variety  of  ways  of  doing  it,  the  following  is  the  best : — 
Prepare  your  ground-work  as  smoothly  as  possible,  with 
a  light  buff  colour  made  from  Oxford  ochre;  mix  a 
variety  of  tints  as  follows : — Dark  vein  colour,  made 
with  ivory  black  and  Indian  red ;  by  adding  white  to 
this  you  will  produce  a  few  different  shades  of  neutral 
tints.  Make  a  few  tints  from  Indian  red  and  Prussian 
blue,  with  white :  place  these  conveniently  on  a  large 
palette ;  now  give  your  work  a  thin  coat  of  the  buff 
paint;  while  wet,  take  a  large  feather,  dip  it  into  tur¬ 
pentine,  then  into  the  dark  vein  colour ;  with  this  form 
a  leading  vein  right  across  your  panel  or  slab,  giving  it 
a  broken  or  irregular  appearance ;  strike  a  few  strag¬ 
gling  veins  from  this;  now  use  your  feather  and  neutral 


204 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


tints,  and  put  in  some  smaller  veins,  breaking  it  into 
small  irregular  pieces  on,  or  springing  from,  the  leading 
vein.  Avoid  as  much  as  possible  giving  it  that  formal 
appearance  which  so  many  grainers  affect,  as  it  is  un¬ 
natural.  Always  remember  this,  that  there  is  very 
rarely,  if  ever,  a  circle,  a  square,  or  a  straight  line  in 
any  marble.  Now  badger  it  well  until  it  is  soft  and 
mellow ;  when  dry,  take  a  piece  of  old  silk,  dip  it  into 
linseed  oil  and  rub  it  very  sparingly  over  the  work; 
now  take  a  feather  and  thin  white  mixed  with  turpen¬ 
tine,  go  over  your  work  with  it,  touching  it  in  an  irre¬ 
gular  manner  in  and  about  the  veins ;  soften  or  blend 
it  with  the  badger  as  you  go  on,  then  put  in  a  touch 
of  solid  white  here  and  there  among  the  veins.  Now 
use  Oxford  ochre  and  raw  sienna,  with  occasionally  a 
little  crimson  lake ;  with  these  glaze  over  your  work  in 
parts,  taking  care  always  to  put  the  darkest  parts  in 
connection  with  the  leading  .vein ;  now  use  a  pencil  and 
ivory  black,  and  put  in  some  sharp  touches  on  and 
about  the  leading  vein;  this,  if  properly  done,  will 
make  the  veins  appear  sunk,  or  give  them  depth. 

Blade  and  Gold  Marble. 

Prepare  a  smooth  black  ground;  slightly  oil  it;  place 
on  your  palette  some  white,  Indian  red,  Oxford  ochre, 
black,  and  a  little  orange  chrome;  now  use  a  large  pen¬ 
cil,  and  take  up  a  portion  of  the  whole  or  part  of  these 
colours  on  your  pencil ;  roll  it  across  or  lengthways  of 
your  board,  leaving  it  in  irregular  patches ;  now  con¬ 
nect  these  patches  together  by  fine  lines  in  the  same 


AND  VARNISHEB/S  COMPANION. 


205 


colours;  fill  up  tlie  panel  with  irregular  fine  lines,  run¬ 
ning  in  the  same  direction,  with  short  lines  or  touches 
crossing  and  connecting  them ;  now  use  a  dark  lead 
colour,  and  fill  in  the  spaces  between  the  lines  in  parts 
with  it,  then  put  here  and  there  on  the  top  of  these  a 
touch  of  a  lighter  lead  colour;  when  dry,  you  can  cut 
the  patches  of  colour  into  better  form,  if  required,  with 
black  and  a  pencil,  and  give  them  depth  by  glazing  in 
places  with  touches  of  white. 

Saint  Ann’s. 

This  marble  is  very  similar  in  the  form  of  its  vein  to 
black  and  gold :  the  patches  of  colour  are  much  smaller 
and  more  crowded  together;  it  is  done  in  exactly  the 
same  manner  on  a  black  ground,  using  white  alone  for 
the  veins,  then  fill  up  the  same  with  lead  colour. 

Verd  Antique,  or  Ancient  Green. 

This  marble  is  done  upon  a  black  ground ;  oil  the 
work  as  before;  mix  several  shades  of  green,  made 
from  Prussian  blue  and  chrome  yellow;  arrange  these 
on  your  palette,  and  a  little  Indian  red.  Take  a  feather, 
dip  it  into  your  darkest  green,  and  go  over  the  whole 
of  the  panel  with  it,  using  it  freely;  follow  in  the  same 
manner  with  the  lighter  shades,  occasionally  using  a 
little  of  the  Indian  red;  then  take  some  black,  and 
put  in  a  quantity  of  irregular  broken  patches  with  it,\ 
allowing  the  green  to  run  in  broken  lines  through 
them ;  now  put  in  some  solid  patches  of  white,  in  form 
like  broken  pieces  of  flagstone  or  earthenware,  ai  d  in 
18 


206 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


size  from  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  to  two  inches.  When 
dry,  glaze  over  all  with  a  green,  made  with  Antwerp 
blue  and  Italian  pink,  using  also  a  little  crimson  lake ; 
in  places  touch  irp  the  whites  again,  making  some  solid, 
others  transparent;  then  edge  them  round  with  a  fine 
line  of  black. 


Egyptian  Green. 

Black  ground.  Take  a  sash-tool,  and  glaze  over  your 
work  with  the  darkest  green  you  can  make  from  Prus¬ 
sian  blue  and  chrome  yellow;  now  use  the  feather  and  a 
lighter  green,  and  streak  your  panel  all  in  one  direction, 
occasionally  using  a  little  Indian  red;  how  dip  your 
feather  in  a  thin  white,  and  streak  it  over  the  other  in 
a  slanting  direction,  giving  it  a  slight  curl,  and  crossing 
the  first  streaks;  blend  these  well  together;  when  dry, 
glaze  it  all  over  with  a  bluish  green,  made  with  Ant¬ 
werp  blue  and  Italian  pink;  this  colour  is  perfectly 
transparent.  Now  touch  up  your  light  streaks  here  and 
there  with  white,  and  blend  it  well. 

Rouge  Roi,  or  Royal  Red. 

This  is  done  upon  a  bluish  gray  ground.  Oil  the 
ground;  mix  burnt  ochre  with  a  little  Indian  red;  rub 
in  your  panel  with  this.  Mix  a  rich  brown  with  Indian 
red  and  ivory  black ;  cover  a  portion  of  the  panel  with 
this  colour.  Now  take  a  piece  of  paper,  and  crumple 
it  up  in  your  hand;  dab  your  panel  all  over  with  this; 
dip  the  paper  into  black,  rub  it  slightly  on  your  palette- 
board,  to  take  off  the  superfluous  black;  then  lightly 


AND  VAUNISHER’s  COMPANION. 


207 


dab  it  on  the  dark  parts  of  the  panel ;  go  over  the  whole 
of  it  in  the  same  way  with  a  light  blue,  then  here  and 
there  with  white.  Now  wipe  out  a  vein  in  places  with 
a  rag,  leaving  the  gray  ground  clear;  make  some  long, 
running  irregularly  across  the  panel,  others  short,  and 
varying  in  breadth  from  a  fine  line  to  an  inch  and  a 
half;  when  dry,  glaze  it  in  places  with  Indian  red  and 
black,  using  the  Indian  red  alone  occasionally;  make 
the  veins  pure  white  in  parts,  in  others  transparent. 

Italian  Jasper. 

Ground  colour,  a  light  green  drab;  oil  the  ground. 
Mix  together  Indian  red  and  Victoria  lake;  with  this 
rub  in  several  large  and  small  patches,  inclining  to  a 
circular  form;  mix  a  few  olive  green  tints  with  white, 
blue  black,  and  raw  sienna,  and  several  shades  of  gray 
made  from  ivory  black  and  Prussian  blue.  Place  these 
conveniently  on  your  palette,  also  a  little  ochre;  dip 
your  feather  into  turpentine,  and  then  into  the  olive 
tints,  and  run  it  between,  and  round,  and  across  the 
patches  of  red;  blend  these  well;  then  go  over  in  the 
same  way  with  the  gray  tints.  When  dry,  glaze  over 
the  gray  and  olive  tints  with  pure  white,  making  them 
solid  in  places,  in  others  transparent.  Soften  or  blend 
it  well ;  glaze  the  dark  parts  here  and  there  with  crim- 
son  lake ;  while  this  is  wet,  take  a  feather,  or  small 
overgrainer,  dipped  in  very  thin  white,  and  draw  it 
over  some  of  the  smaller  of  the  dark  parts,  giving  it 
something  the  appearance  that  an  onion  has  when  cut 
in  half;  touch  up  in  places  with  dark  colour. 


208  THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 

Dove  Marble. 

Ground  colour,  a  bluish  lead  colour.  Dip  your 
feather  into  turpentine,  then  into  black  ground  in  oil ; 
streak  your  panel  with  this;  use  white  in  the  same, 
way;  when  the  black  has  stood  a  little  while,  blend 
them  well  together  as  you  go  on ;  then  put  in  a  few 
touches  of  solid  white,  and  soften. 

Blade  Barddla. 

Ground  colour,  a  very  light  lead  colour.  With  a 
feather  and  black,  figure  all  over  in  lines  running  into 
each  other,  very  close  in  places,  some  very  fine,  with 
short  lines  or  strokes  crossing ;  soften  a  little.  When 
dry,  glaze  over  with  thin  white,  a  little  stronger  in 
some  places  than  others;  touch  up  the  lines  with  dine 
lines  of  black. 


Derbyshire  Spar. 

This  is  a  compound  of  the  fossil  remains  of  sliell-fish 
&nd  other  inhabitants  of  the  deep.  Ground  colour,  a 
light  gray.  Glaze  over  your  panel  with  a  thin  colour, 
made  with  Vandyke  brown  and  black;  rub  in  a  little 
Indian  red  occasionally.  Crumple  a  piece  of  paper  in 
your  hand,  lightly  dab  your  work  over  with  it;  now 
take  a  rag  and  a  narrow  square-pointed  stick,  and  form 
the  halves  of  shells,  fish,  bones,  &c. ;  then  spurt  in  a 
little  turpentine, — this  will  open  or  spot  it.  When  dry, 
glaze  over  with  the  same  colours,  and  make  the  fossils 
partly  solid  with  white;  then  sharpen  or  edge  them 
with  a  fine  line  of  black. 


AND  VARNIRIIER’s  COMPANION. 


20!) 


Granites. 

There  are  several  granites;  they  maybe  done  almost 
any  colour  and  yet  be  correct.  The  principal  ones  are 
the  gray  and  the  red,  or  Aberdeen  granite.  You  may 
do  them  all  in  the  same  manner.  Prepare  the  ground, 
if  for  gray,  a  light  gray;  if  for  red,  a  light  salmon 
colour.  Provide  yourself  with  a  flat  brush  made  of 
very  stiff  bristles,  about  an  inch  long  and  four  inches 
broad  ;  shape  a  piece  of  wood  about  six  inches  square, 
with  a  handle  to  it  something  like  a  child’s  battledore; 
rub  in  your  ground  colour;  now  dip  the  flat  brush  in 
thin  black,  hold  the  wood  in  your  left  hand,  and  press 
the  brush  upon  it,  springing  the  bristles  in  the  direc¬ 
tion  of  the  panel;  this  will  throw  the  colour  on  in 
spots.  Follow  in  the  same  manner  with  white,  if  for 
gray  granite ;  and  with  black,  red,  and  white,  if  for 
Aberdeen.  They  may  be  done  in  tbe  following  manner 
with  good  effect : — Provide  yourself  with  a  very  porous 
or  open  sponge ;  dip  it  into  black,  mixed  with  beer ; 
then  stipple  your  ground  with  it;  when  dry,  throw  in 
your  white  in  oil  colour;  and  so  on  with  any  other 
colour.  In  all  glazing  colours  it  is  advisable  to  use 
a  little  sugar  of  lead,  as  they  are  most  of  them  bad 
dryers.  I  should  also  recommend  llowney’s  tube 
colours  for  finishing  marbles,  as  they  are  the  best 
colours,  are  very  finely  ground,  and  are  a-s  cheap  in 
the  end  a3  any  you  may  grind  yourself. 

18* 


210 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER. 


To  Polish  Imitation  Marbles. 

When  you  have  finished  marbling,  let  the  work 
stand  for  a  day  or  two ;  then  gently  rub  it  down  with 
the  back  or  smooth  side  of  a  sheet  of  sand-paper;  this 
will  take  off  the  knits  or  bits  of  skin  which  may  be 
upon  it,  without  scratching  it ;  now  give  it  three  coats 
of  the  best  pale  polishing  copal  varnish,  allowing  an 
interval  of  two  days  between  each  coat.  Let  this  stand 
for  three  weeks ;  then  cut  it  down  with  ground  pumice- 
stone  and  water,  using  a  piece  of  wash-leather  or  rag 
for  that  purpose.  When  you  have  got  it  tolerably 
smooth  and  level,  wash  it  well  with  plenty  of  clean 
water,  taking  particular  care  to  clean  off  all  the  pu¬ 
mice-stone;  give  it  five  coats  of  varnish.  It  ought 
now  to  stand  for  three  or  six  months,  at  the  least, 
before  it  is  polished,  for  if  it  is  done  before  it  is 
almost  certain  to  crack.  When  the  varnish  is  suffi¬ 
ciently  hard,  cut  it  down  with  finely-ground  pumice- 
stone  as  before;  then  use  rotten  stone  and  olive  oil, 
using  the  ball  of  the  hand;  then  use  flour  and  oil; 
finish  off  with  dry  flour.  This  takes  a  deal  of  time  to 
do  properly,  if  well  done. 


AND  VARNISHER’s  CO  MEAN  TON. 


211 


INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  SIGN-WRITING. 


Sign-writing  is  a  mere  mechanical  art ;  any  person 
with  a  common  stock  of  perseverance  may  acquire  it. 
The  writer  is  bound  down  to  certain  set  forms,  and  to 
a  constant  repetition  of  those  forms;  there  is  nothing 
left  for  the  exercise  of  genius  or  taste,  but  the  arrange¬ 
ment  or  setting  out  and  choice  of  colours. 

The  pupil’s  first  object  must  be  to  acquire  a  tho¬ 
rough  practical  knowledge  of  the  forms  of  letters  now 
in  common  use,  such  as  manuscript  or  text-hand,  Roman 
capitals,  italics,  Egyptian,  block,  &c.  &c.  The  best 
models  for  this  purpose  are  placards  in  bold  type;  if 
good,  they  are  generally  proportionate,  and  have  all  the 
modern  improvements.  To  become  a  good  sign-writer, 
you  must  first  practise  the  manuscript  or  text-hand  ; 
by  doing  so  you  will  acquire  the  habit  of  making  a  free 
and  graceful  stroke,  or  sweep  with  the  pencil,  which 
will  be  very  serviceable  to  you  when  you  practise  the 
Roman  capital,  which  you  should  do  next.  When  you 
have  mastered  these,  the  others  will  be  comparatively 
easy.  Many  learners  begin  with  the  plain  Egyptian 
block,  for  the  simple  reason  that  it  is  the  easiest  They 
never  make  good  writers,  from  the  fact  that  by  doing  so 
they  acquire  a  stiffness  in  the  use  of  the  pencil,  and 
formation  of  the  letters,  which  they  very  rarely,  if  ever, 


212 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


get  rid  of.  For  practising,  you  will  require  a  smooth 
board  about  three  feet  square,  painted  a  light  colour. 
Secondly,  a  stick,  with  a  ball  of  cotton  wool  covered  with 
wash-leather,  and  tied  over  one  end  of  the  stick  :  this  is 
to  prevent  it  injuring  the  paint  when  you  rest  it  against 
it.  Thirdly,  a  small  palette-board  and  palette-knife. 
Fourthly,  a  few  good  sable  and  camel-hair  pencils.  When 
purchasing  the  pencils,  dip  them  into  a  tumblerof  water, 
and  try  them  on  a  piece  of  paper :  if  they  retain  a  fine 
point  they  are  good;  if  not  they  are  not  worth  having. 
Fifthly,  a  pennyworth  of  unburnt  pipe-stumps,  which 
you  will  get  at  any  pipe-maker’s.  Sixth,  a  two-foot 
rule.  Seventh,  a  pair  of  compasses. 

N ow  set  out  your  board  as  follows  : — Take  your  rule, 
or  compasses,  and  divide  the  board  into  equal  parts 
with  horizontal  lines;  leaving  say  three  inches  for  the 
size  of  the  letters,  and  two  inches  for  the  space  between 
each  line  of  letters.  Use  a  piece  of  pipe-chalk,  and 
slightly  sketch  your  letters  with  it;  then  mix  vegetable 
black  with  boiled  oil  to  a  proper  consistency  for  work¬ 
ing;  with  this,  and  a  fine  pencil,  endeavour  to  form  the 
letters.  Use  the  point  of  the  pencil  in  all  cases,  and 
strive  all  you  can  to  form  the  letter  in  outline  with  as 
few  strokes  as  possible,  filling  up  between  the  lines  with 
a  short  pencil.  By  following  this  principle  you  will 
acquire  ease,  rapidity  of  execution,  and  correctness  of 
outline.  Practise  this  method  constantly,  and  you  will 
become  a  good  writer.  Before  your  black  is  dry,  wash  it 
off  with  turpentine,  then  with  soap  and  water;  this  will 
clean  your  board  ready  for  practising  again. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


213 


Setting-out  or  Arrangement  of  Letters. 

This  is  a  very  important  part  of  sign-writing ;  for, 
however  good  the  shape  of  the  letters  may  he,  if  they 
are  not  properly  arranged  the  effect  will  be  bad.  By 
strict  attention  to  the  following  rules,  you  will  soon  be 
able  to  set  out  a  sign  properly : — 

1.  It  is  always  desirable  to  introduce  into  a  sign  a 
curved  line,  or  section  of  a  circle,  as  it  is  pleasing  to  the 
eye,  and  relieves  the  stiffness  of  the  straight  lines. 

2.  The  space  between  each  letter  in  the  same  line 
must  be  equal. 

3.  Each  line  of  letters  must  begin  and  end  at  an 
equal  distance  from  the  side  of  the  board. 

4.  Never,  if  you  can  possibly  avoid  it,  begin  or  end 
a  line  of  letters  with  such  letters  as  “  and — to — for — 
with/’  &c.;  but  let  them  come  in  between  the  lines 
of  larger  letters. 

5.  Always  make  the  most  important  words,  such  as 
the  name,  business,  &c.,  the  largest,  most  distinct,  and 
easily  read  of  any  on  the  board.  You  will  see  exactly 
what  I  mean  if  you  examine  a  good  placard.  It  is  only 
by  strict  attention  to  the  above  rules,  and  constant  prac¬ 
tice,  that  you  can  become  a  good  writer. 

To  raise  or  make  Letters  appear  to  stand  out  from  the 
Board,  and  to  shadow  them. 

For  this  purpose  you  require  a  knowledge  of  light 
and  shade ;  to  acquire  that  knowledge,  as  far  as  regards 
letters,  I  would  advise  you  to  get  a  few  good  letters  cut 
out  of  wood,  say  an  inch  thick;  fasten  these  on  a  painted 


211 


TIIE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


board ;  place  them  in  a  position  where  a  side  light  will 
fall  strongly  upon  them:  they  will  exhibit  to  you  their 
true  principle  of  light  and  shade.  Study  them  well  in 
all  positions;  they  will  be  your  best  guide. 

To  gild  Letters. 

You  will  require  a  gilder’s  tip-cushion  and  knife,  or 
you  can  lay  on  the  gold  from  the  book,  by  cutting  the 
leaves  to  the  size  you  want  with  a  pair  of  scissors.  You 
may  use  either  oil  or  japanner’s  gold  size;  oil-size  is  the 
best,  and  is  made  in  the  following  manner: — Procure 
some  old  or  fat  linseed-oil;  the  older  it  is  the  better. 
Mix  a  little  Oxford  ochre  with  it,  and  a  small  quantity 
of  sugar  of  lead;  thin  it  with  boiled  oil;  now  strain  it 
through  a  piece  of  fine  linen.  Prepare  your  board  as 
smoothly  as  possible;  take  the  white  of  an  egg,  beat  it 
up  in  about  four  times  its  weight  of  cold  water;  add  a 
small  quantity  of  fuller’s  earth;  brush  over  the  board 
with  it ;  this  is  to  prevent  the  gold  sticking  to  any  part 
but  the  letters.  When  dry,  set  out  the  letters  and  com¬ 
mence  writing;  a  sable  pencil  is  the  best  for  laying  ou 
the  size.  Always  remember  that,  to  make  your  gold 
bright,  you  must  use  as  little  size  as  possible,  consistent 
with  covering  the  letters  properly;  let  it  stand  until  you 
can  barely  feel  a  slight  tack  or  stickiness.  If  the  size  is 
good  it  will  gild  in  a  week  after  it  is  written.  Your 
letters  being  ready,  put  some  gold  into  your  cushion, 
which  you  will  do  in  this  way : — Carefully  open,  and 
with  a  slight  puff  with  your  mouth  blow  the  'eaf  of  gold 
into  the  back  part  of  the  cushion ;  now  take  a  leaf  up  on 
the  point  of  your  knife,  and  spread  it  on  the  front  part 


AND  VA'RNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


215 


of  the  cushion ;  when  you  have  got  it  partially  straight, 
give  it  a  slight  puff  with  your  breath,  which  will  make 
it  perfectly  so.  Cut  it  to  the  sizes  you  want,  using  the 
heel  of  your  knife,  and  cutting  forward.  You  will  find 
this  very  difficult  at  first;  but  persevere,  and  you  will 
soon  do  it  with  ease,  and  without  waste.  Now  take  the 
tip,  rub  it  lightly  on  your  hair  or  whiskers,  take  up  the 
gold  on  the  point  and  place  it  gently  on  the  letters; 
when  you  have  covered  them  all,  get  some  very  fine 
cotton  wool,  entirely  free  from  grit;  with  this  gently 
rub  the  gold  until  it  appears  smooth,  bright,"  and  level 
Now  wash  the  sign  with  plenty  of  clean  water,  to  clea? 
off  the  egg-size. 

To  Write,  Gild,  and,  Ornament  on  Glass. 

Before  you  commence  this  work  you  must  acquire  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  sign-writing,  otherwise  it  will 
be  folly  to  attempt  it.  You  will  require  a  drawing  on 
paper  for  each  design,  which  you  will  prepare  as  fol¬ 
lows: — Cut  a  piece  of  thin  paper  to  the  size  of  your 
glass,  draw  out  your  design  correctly  in  black  lead-pencil 
on  the  paper,  then  prick  through  the  outline  of  th6 
letters  with  a  fine  needle.  Tie  up  a  little  dry  white  lead 
in  a  piece  of  rag;  this  is  a  pounce-bag.  Now  place 
your  design  upon  the  glass  right  side  up,  and  dust  it 
with  the  pounce-bag;  take  the  paper  carefully  off',  the 
design  will  appear  in  white  dots  upon  the  glass ;  this  is 
to  guide  you  in  laying  on  the  gold  on  the  opposite  side. 
Now  clean  the  glass  well  on  the  side  that  the  gold  is  to 
go  on;  prepare  your  size  in  the  following  manner: — 
ftet  some  perfectly  clean  water,  without  the  slightest 


216 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER,  ETC. 


particle  of  grease  or  other  foreign  matter;  put  it  on  a 
slow  fire  to  boil,  using  an  enamelled  saucepan  for  that 
purpose,  and  taking  particular  care  that  the  smoke  does 
not  get  into  it;  while  boiling,  put  in  two  or  three  shreds 
of  the  very  best  isinglass;  let  it  boil  a  few  minutes, 
then  strain  it  through  a  fine  clean  linen  rag;  when  cool 
it  is  ready  for  use.  The  great  point  in  glass-gilding 
is  to  have  the  glass,  the  size,  and  every  thing  you  use 
perfectly  clean ;  a  touch  of  the  finger  on  the  glass  will 
tarnish  the  gold ;  you  must  use  the  tip  and  cushion  to 
put  on  the  gold,  laying  the  gold  on  as  level  as  possible, 
as  its  uniform  brightness  depends  in  a  great  measure 
upon  that  point;  use  a  flat  camel-hair  tool' for  laying 
on  the  size;  flow  the  size  on,  and  let  it  drain  off 
when  you  put  the  gold  on ;  when  perfectly  dry'  take 
a  ball  of  the  finest  cotton  wool,  and  gently  nib  or 
polish  the  gold ;  you  can  then  lay  on  another  coat  of 
gold  if  desirable;  it  is  now  ready  for  writing.  As 
the  letters  will  have  to  be  written  the  backward  way, 
you  must  turn  your  drawing  face  side  downwards,  and 
pounce- as  before;  but  on  the  gold  this  time  mix  a 
little  of  the  best  vegetable  black  with  black  japan ; 
thin  with  turpentine  to  a  proper  working  consistency; 
write  with  this  when  thoroughly  dry;  wash  off  the 
superfluous  gold,  and  shade  as  in  sign-writing.  In 
ornaments  you  will  have  to  etch,  or  shade  the  gold : 
you  will  proceed  to  lay  on  the  gold  and  pounce  the 
ornament  exactly  as  above ;  then  etch  or  shade  it 
with  the  point  of  a  slate-pencil,  or  piece  of  hard 
wood,  slightly  wetting  the  wood,  when  you  want  a 
broad  or  black  line;  then  pick  in  with  black. 


COMPLETE  INSTRUCTIONS 
FOR  COACH-PAINTING  AND  VARNISHING. 


A  suitable  place  to  do  work  in  is  an  important  con¬ 
sideration  in  painting,  but  as  workmen  will  have  opinions 
of  their  own  about  making'  things  convenient,  I  will  not 
take  time  to  go  into  details  about  conveniences  in  con¬ 
structing  shops  or  paint  rooms ;  only  this  I  will  say  to 
ihe  uninitiated :  you  must  have  a  room  where  you  can 
exclude  dust  entirely,  and  means  for  ventilating  the  room 
whenever  you  wish.  These  qualifications  are  indispen¬ 
sable. 

The  first  thing  that  presents  itself  is  the  mode  of  pre¬ 
paring  the  oil  used  in  painting,  and,  as  this  is  a  disputed 
point,  and  a  very  important  one,  I  will  give  such  reasons 
for  my  opinion  as  have  been  gathered  from  thirty  years’ 
practical  experience  in  the  trade.  Those  who  learned 
their  trade  thirty  years  ago  were  taught  to  use  boiled  oil 
in  carriage-painting,  and  we  are  not  apt  to  forsake  our 
early  teachings  without  convincing  proofs  of  their  fal¬ 
lacy.  I  have,  by  experience,  been  driven  from  my  good 
opinion  of  boiled  oil  in  almost  every  department  of  paint¬ 
ing.  Its  supposed  advantages  are  that  it  dries  quicker 
and  flows  over  the  surface  of  the  wood  better  than  raw 
oil.  Its  positive  disadvantages  are  that  it  is  more  brittle 

(217) 


218 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


when  dry;  if  bruised,  will  break  from  the  wood,  and 
unless  the  utmost  pains  are  taken  to  get  it  thoroughly 
dry,  the  varnish  that  is  put  over  it  will  crack  after  it  has 
been  exposed  to  the  sun.  We  are  deceived  about  its 
drying  quicker,  and  that  is  the  cause  why  paint  and  var¬ 
nish  crack.  Boiled  oil  gets  its  drying  quality  from  the 
oxygen  which  it  imbibes  by  heating,  and  the  oxyds  of 
lead  which  are  put  into  it  while  boiling.  There  is  no 
visible  part  of  the  lead  used  for  dryer  left  in  the  oil  when 
it  is  ready  for  use,  therefore  I  suppose  the  oxyd  which 
it  absorbs  from  the  lead  is  the  dryer — be  that  as  it  may, 
there  is  one  thing  certain,  we  know  oil  so  prepared  will 
not  dry  unless  it  comes  in  contact  with  the  air.  Corked 
in  a  bottle,  it  will  never  dry,  and  this  is  one  great  diffi 
culty  in  using  boiled  oil.  Suppose  we  have  painted  a 
piece  of  wood  with  one  coat  and  got  it  thoroughly  dry, 
the  air,  oil,  or  turpentine  cannot  go  through  the  coat  of 
paint  when  the  second  coat  is  applied.  The  part  of  the 
second  coat  which  is  exposed  to  the  air  dries  on  the  out¬ 
side,  forming  a  skin  which  prevents  the  air  from  getting 
to  the  drying  quality  of  the  inner  part,  and  shuts  it  up 
almost  as  close  as  if  it  were  corked  up.  The  air  being  so 
penetrating  will,  after  a  long  time,  get  to  it  and  dry  it; 
but  it  takes  a  long  time,  unless  the  paint  with  which  it 
is  mixed  can  impart  to  it  a  drying  quality  independent 
of  the  atmosphere.  Painters  who  use  boiled  oil  obviate 
this  difficulty  by  mixing  a  large  proportion  of  turpentine 
with  the  oil  or  paint,  making  what  they  call  a  dead  coat — 
this,  when  the  turpentine  has  evaporated,  dries  without 
a  gloss,  and  leaves  the  paint  open  like  a  sponge,  so  that 
the  air  can  get  to  the  oil.  Experience  proves  this  to  be 
the  poorest  kind  of  paint  to  last — if  bruised,  it  breaks  off 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


219 


>lear  to  the  wood ;  if  left  to  time  it  comes  off  very  scon 
In  small  scales — yet  there  is  a  great  quantity  of  work 
done  in  this  way,  because  the  paint  can  be  rubbed  down 
smooth  with  sandpaper  easier  than  if  it  were  of  a 
tougher  material.  Before  I  get  through,  I  hope  to  show 
that  paint  can  be  made  smoother  and  as  tough  as 
you  wish  without  using  much  sandpaper,  and  with  less 
labor.  Boiled  oil  will  not  bear  much  japan  for  a  dryer. 
If  too  much  is  used  the  paint  comes  off  in  large  scales, 
and  leaves  the  carriage  in  the  very  worst  condition  for 
repainting. 

Raw  oil  dries  with  less  gloss,  leaving  a  chance  for  the 
air  to  penetrate  the  paint  as  well  as  the  dead  color,  and, 
aside  from  that,  the  dryer  used  in  the  paint  dries  more 
independent  of  the  action  of  the  atmosphere.  For 
instance,  I  have  seen  red  lead  ground  in  oil  and  soldered 
up  in  tin  cans  so  as  to  entirely  exclude  the  air,  and  in 
one  year  the  paint  would  become  a  hard  cement.  Boiled 
oil,  under  the  same  circumstances,  would  never  dry 
without  the  red  lead. 

A  ship-painter  will  never  use  boiled  oil  about  any  part 
of  the  vessel  that  is  exposed  to  jamming  by  the  dock, 
because  the  paint  will  break  off  clean  to  the  wood.  For 
these  reasons  I  should  use  raw  in  preference  to  boiled 
oil,  with  but  very  few  cases  excepted. 

To  prepare  raw  oil  for  use,  it  will  be  necessary  to  add 
one-fifth  part  of  good  brown  japan  to  four  of  oil.  If 
paint  requires  any  further  dryer,  equal  parts  of  sugar  of 
lead  and  white  vitriol  ground  together  can  be  used,  to 
the  amount  of  one  ounce  to  the  pound  of  paint,  or  the 
same  amount  of  patent  dryer. 

For  the  priming  coat  of  a  carriage-gearing  and  body, 


220 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER 


use  the  same  kind  of  paint,  to  wit :  wnite  lead  mixed  in 
the  above  prepared  raw  oil,  and  about  one  eighth  part 
turpentine,  with  a  shade  of  lampblack,  if  your  carriage 
is  to  be  a  dark  color.  When  the  wood-work  of  a  car¬ 
riage  comes  into  the  shop,  examine  it  closely,  and  if  the 
grain  has  raised  in  any  place,  or  it  wants  smoothing  with 
sandpaper,  be  sure  and  do  it  before  you  prime  the  work, 
then  dust  it  off  and  put  on  the  priming  coat  even,  and 
be  sure  to  have  the  paint  go  into  the  cracks,  checks,  or 
screw-heads,  so  that  they  have  at  least  one  coat  of  paint 
over  the  surface  which  is  to  be  puttied  up. 

The  carriage-part  wants  but  one  coat  before  it  is 
ironed,  but  the  body  you  will  retain  in  the  shop  while 
the  gearing  is  being  ironed.  After  it  has  had  four  days’ 
drying,  and  has  been  sandpapered  off,  give  another  coat 
of  the  same  kind  of  paint  with  a  little  dryer,  and  about 
one  fourth  as  much  turpentine  as  oil. 

The  object  now  is  to  get  a  perfectly  even  surface  on 
the  work  of  the  body,  which  cannot  be  done  on  the  bare 
wood,  on  account  of  the  grain  of  the  timber.  For  this 
purpose  a  heavy  coat  of  coarse  paint,  prepared  so  that 
it  will  dry  as  hard  as  a  bone,  is  put  on,  and,  after  it  is 
dry,  is  rubbed  with  a  flat  surface  of  pumice-stone  in 
water,  which  rubs  the  paint  off  from  the  ridges  down 
even  with  the  hollows,  thereby  making  the  surface  level 
and  smooth.  To  facilitate  this  operation  I  have  adopted 
something  different  from  the  old  way,  which  is  better 
and  easier.  I  have  some  fine-grained  sole  leather  cut 
into  pieces  so  that  I  can  have  three  different  ones,  with 
a  straight-edge  of  from  one  to  three  inches  in  width-, 
these  edges  are  made  rounding  and  smooth  with  sand¬ 
paper. 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION.  221 

After  the  turpentine  has  evaporated  from  this  second 
coat  which  we  have  put  on,  and  before  it  is  dry,  I  take 
one  of  these  leathers  in  my  fingers  very  much  as  I  would 
a  scraper,  and  draw  the  edge  over  the  soft  paint.  This 
crowds  the  paint  from  off  the  ridges  down  into  the  hol¬ 
lows,  and  levels  it  quicker  and  better  than  two  coats  of 
“  rough-stuff”  will.  The  parts  which  are  not  going  to 
be  rough  stuffed,  such  as  the  spindles  to  the  seat,  or  any 
such  small  place,  I  rub  over  with  my  hand  and  fingers, 
so  that  I  get  the  paint  crowded  into  the  grains  of  the 
wood,  and  all  the  brush  marks  are  removed.  After 
repeating  this  process  the  second  time  on  the  seat  and 
part  which  is  not  to  be  rough-stuffed,  it  will  be  ready  for 
putting  on  the  color.  I  make  my  putty  of  whiting  and 
good  drying  varnish;  and  when  the  paint  has  got  dry  on 
the  body,  the  screw-heads,  and  other  places  where  the 
rough-stuffing  is  to  be  put  on,  should  be  filled  up  more 
than  level,  and  the  surplus  will  be  cut  off  with  the 
rough-stuff. 

Now  the  body  is  ready  for  the  rough-stuffing,  which 
should  be  made  of  about  seven  parts  of  yellow  ochre  to 
one  of  white  lead,  mixed  in  four  parts  of  good  drying 
varnish  and  one  of  brown  japan,  and  about  one  fifteenth 
as  much  raw  oil  as  you  have  of  copal  varnish  and  japan 
together. 

This  mixture  should  be  stirred  together  as  thick  as  it 
can  be  conveniently  run  through  the  mill.  It  is  not 
best  to  grind  it  fine ;  but  as  near  the  same  fineness  as 
can  be.  After  it  has  been  run  through  the  mill,  reduce 
it  with  turpentine,  so  that  it  will  work  easy  under  the 
brush,  and  apply  a  good  coat  to  the  part  of  the  body  that; 
has  a  large  surface,  so  that  you  can  get  at  it  with  a. 

19*- 


222 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


pumice-stone  to  level  it  down.  It  will  take  five  or  six 
days  for  a  coat  to  dry  so  that  you  can  apply  the  next; 
and,  as  a  general  thing,  three  cpats  of  rough-stuff  will  be 
sufficient  for  a  carriage-body.  Sometimes  one  coat  will 
answer  for  a  buggy  ;  it  depends,  in  a  great  measure,  on 
the  skilfulness  of  the  wood-workman  in  getting  a  level 
and  smooth  surface  on  his  job. 

If  he  leaves  hollows,  there  must  be  enough  applied  to 
fill  them  up  even  with  the  more  prominent  parts  of  the 
surface.  After  the  body  has  got  sufficient  rough-stuffing 
on,  it  had  better  go  to  the  smith,  to  be  ironed  and  hung 
on  the  carriage.  When  it  comes  to  the  paint-shop 
again,  the  first  thing  will  be  to  rub  it  down,  so  that  you 
have  a  smooth  and  even  surface,  free  from  all  dents, 
grains  of  the  wood,  tool-marks,  or  any  thing  in  the  way  of 
making  a  good,  even  surface,  to  put  the  finishing  coat  of 
paint  on.  This  operation  does  not  require  any  very 
great  amount  of  genius,  but  there  cannot  be  too  much 
care  bestowed  on  it.  Saw  the  pumice-stone  into  blocks 
of  a  suitable  size,  and  have  by  you  a  small,  round  file,  so 
that  you  can  shape  the  stone  to  fit  the  mouldings,  if 
necessary ;  and  a  pail  of  water  and  sponge,  to  wet  the 
work  with  and  wash  it  off,  while  rubbing  it  down.  Now 
wet  the  .work  with  the  sponge,  and  with  a  wet  block  of 
stone  commence  rubbing  the  part  until  it  is  smooth  and 
level,  rubbing  carefully  into  the  corners  and  close  to  the 
mouldings,  so  that  every  part  is  equally  level  and  smooth. 
You  will  have  to  use  the  sponge  frequently,  to  clean  the 
paint  and  see  if  you  are  not  rubbing  through  to  the 
wood,  or  have  got  it  rubbed  enough.  When  the  brush- 
marks  are  all  rubbed  out  of  your  rough-stuffing,  it  will, 
as  a  general  thing,  be  rubbed  enough.  There  are  often 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


223 


places  found,  after  rubbing  down,  where  there  is  a  dent 
in  the  wood,  so  that  the  pumice-stone  has  not  cut  out 
the  brush-marks^  To  remedy  such  places,  take  the  putty 
that  you  have  filled  up  the  screw-heads  with,  and,  if  it  is 
not  soft  enough,  add  a  little  varnish,  so  as  to  make 
it  soft  enough  to  spread  under  the  putty-knife ;  then 
fill  the  hollow  places  more  than  even  full,  and  after  it 
has  become  dry,  which  will  be  in  three  or  four  days,  rub 
it  off  with  the  pumice-stone,  so  that  the  surface  is  level 
and  smooth.  In  rubbing  down,  if  the  stone  scratches, 
or  makes  creases  in  the  paint,  or  gums  on  the  stone,  the 
paint  is  not  dry  enough,  and  should  be  left  to  dry  until 
it  gets  so  hard  that  it  will  not  scratch.  If,  by  mistake, 
you  have  rubbed  through  the  paint,  and  wet  the  wood  so 
as  to  raise  the  grain,  when  it  gets  dry  rub  off  the  raised 
grain  with  sandpaper,  and  put  on  the  spot  a  coat  of 
rough-stuffing,  and  when  it  is  dry  use  a  little  linseed  oil, 
instead  of  water,  with  the  pumice-stone,  which  will  not 
raise  the  grain  of  the  wood,  and,  when  it  is  rubbed  off 
smooth,  wipe  the  oil  off  with  a  rag,  and  clean  the  body 
off  with  a  sponge  and  water,  and  it  is  ready  for  the  color. 

It  will  be  better  now  to  commence  the  carriage  part; 
and,  in  finishing  that  up  so  as  to  receive  the  color,  I  have 
adopted  a  different  way  from  any  that  I  ever  have  seen 
laid  down,  or  in  any  way  been  taught ;  yet  there  are 
others  who  practice  the  same  plan  and  keep  it  a  secret. 
The  old  way  is  to  mix  the  paint  with  enough  turpentine 
to  make  it  brittle  when  dry,  then  scour  out  the  brush- 
marks  with  sandpaper.  This  rubs  off  nearly  or  quite  one 
half  the  paint,  and,  aside  from  that,  the  turpentine  evapo¬ 
rates  and  does  not  leave  enough  oil  in  the  paint  to  resist 
the  action  of  the  atmosphere  and  protect  the  wood. 


224 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


Also,  sandpapering'  off  the  poisonous  paint  and  inhaling 
the  Just  is  one  cause  of  the  unhealthiness  of  the  trade. 
The  way  I  have  adopted  does  away  with  these  difficul¬ 
ties,  and  is  much  quicker  done,  and  makes  a  handsomer 
finished  jot>.  Commence  the  carriage  part  by  sandpaper¬ 
ing  oil’  just  enough  to  remove  the  specks  that  may  have 
fallen  on  tne  paint. 

If  you  are  going  to  paint  the  carriage  with  any  color 
which  of  nself  will  be  a  body,  it  will  be  well  to  prepare 
the  paint  01  the  color  that  you  are  going  to  finish  with, 
unless  the  paint  is  too  expensive  to  use  for  a  body-coat; 
and,  if  so,  you  should  use  the  paint  that  is  the  nearest  to 
it  in  color  and  at  the  same  time  has  sufficient  body — for 
instance,  lor  Vermillion  use  red  lead  and  Venetian  red  on 
the  body  or  priming  coat.  White  lead  and  lampblack, 
mixed  so  that  it  is  a  slate  color,  is  a  very  good  paint  to 
give  a  body  for  any  dark-colored  finish.  Mix  the  oil — 
which  is  prepared  with  one  fifth  japan — with  one  fourth 
as  much  turpentine;  and  when  you  want  to  reduce  the 
paint,  do  it  with  this  mixture,  so  that  the  paint  will  be 
alike  in  turpentine  dryer.  Dust  off  the  work  clean,  and 
put  on  a  coat  of  paint  that,  is  well  ground,  and  perfectly 
clean  from  all  skins,  dirt,  or  specks  of  any  kind. 

After  the  paint  has  stood  a  while,  so  that  the  turpen¬ 
tine  has  evaporated,  commence  by  rubbing  it  with  the 
palm  of  your  hand  and  fingers,  so  that  you  obliterate  all 
your  brush-marks,  and  fill  up  the  coarse  grains  to  the 
timber  by  crowding  the  paint  into  them.  Use  a  leather 
in  corners  where  you  cannot  smooth  with  the  hand,  and 
use  the  leather  on  the  springs,  or  any  other  flat  surface, 
and  then  brush  it  over  with  the  hand.  In  this  way  the 
work  is  very  easily  brought  down  to  a  smooth,  polished 
surface. 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


225 


After  the  second  priming-coat  has  become  di-y,  you  can 
putty  up  all  imperfect  joints  or  checks,  and  all  places 
where  the  iron  does  not  fit  to  the  wood  closely  on  the 
felly,  or  any  other  part.  After  this  coat  of  paint  is  well 
dried,  sandpaper  it  off  as  before,  just  enough  to  remove 
the  specks  which  may  have  fallen  on  while  the  paint  was 
drying;  and  if  you  discover  any  place  in  the  corners 
where  you  have  not  smoothed  it  down  with  the  hand,  it 
will  be  best  to  smooth  it  with  sandpaper,  and  then  apply 
another  coat,  and  go  through  the  same  process  of  rub¬ 
bing  down  with  your  hand.  Three  coats  will  be  enough 
in  this  way  to  give  sufficient  body  for  the  color.  It  will 
fill  the  grain  of  the  timber  so  that  it  cannot  be  seen,  and 
make  a  smoother  and  better  coat  than  any  other  way  I 
have  tried.  I  think  it  saves  full  twenty-five  per  cent,  in 
painting  a  carriage. 

You  will  now  want  to  put  on  two  coats  of  color  to 
finish  with,  and  you  will  observe  the  same  process  about 
smoothing  it  down.  Also,  remember  that  what  makes 
paint  and  varnish  crack  after  it  has  become  dry,  is,  that 
it  was  not  perfectly  dried  when  the  coats  were  being  put 
on. 

While  the  carriage  has  been  painting,  the  irons  on  the 
body,  and  all  places  where  you  do  not  use  rough-stuffing, 
should  be  worked  with  the  same  paint  in  the  same  way 
that  the  carriage  has  been ;  so  that  the  wood  gets  three 
and  the  irons  two  coats  of  paint,  and  then  the  body  is 
ready  for  the  color. 

The  color  should  be  ground  fine;  and  perhaps  you  will 
find  it  better  to  use  more  turpentine  in  the  paint  than 
you  have  for  the  carriage  part.  You  need  a  room  that 
is  clean,  and  where  no  dust  will  be  raised  while  the  paint 


226 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


is  drying,  and  yon  must  have  a  soft,  flat  brush  (called 
camel’s-hair),  about  two  and  a  half  inches  wide,  and 
those  are  best  when  the  brush-part  is  only  about  one 
and  a  half  inch  long.  Examine  well  to  see  that  there 
are  no  loose  hairs  in  it  that  will  come  out  while  painting. 
The  surface  of  the  body  is  now  smooth  and  level,  and 
the  object  is  to  get  two  coats  of  paint  on  for  finishing, 
without  leaving  brush-marks,  or  any  thing  to  destroy 
this  smooth,  level  surface ;  therefore  be  sure  and  have 
your  paint  mixed  so  that  it  will  run  off  from  the  brush 
easy,  and  be  spread  without  bearing  hard  on  the  brush. 
It  is  best  to  try  the  paint  before  you  commence  laying  it 
on  the  body,  and  when  you  are  sure  it  will  work  easy, 
lay  it  on  the  body  as  briskly  as  you  can,  and  do  it  well, 
finishing  it  up  with  light  brushing.  After  it  has  got  dry 
enough  for  the  second  coat,  rub  it  over  with  curled  hair, 
so  that  it  takes  off  all  the  specks;  and  it  will  have  a  ten¬ 
dency  to  flatten  down  the  brush-marks  which  are  hardly 
perceptible.  One  more  coat  in  the  same  way  finishes 
the  body,  ready  for  striping. 

After  putting  on  the  second  coat  of  color,  and  it  has 
become  sufficiently  dry,  take  curled  hair  and  rub  it 
enough  so  as  to  flatten  down  any  brush  marks  which 
your  fine  brush  may  have  made.  This  will  be  a  suffi¬ 
cient  body  for  a  medium  good  job,  providing  care  has 
been  taken  to  mix  the  paint  according  to  the  directions, 
and  you  have  had  no  bad  luck  in  putting  it  on.  If  you 
wish  to  have  an  extra  good  job,  you  must  add  more 
coats  of  the  color,  or  finishing  coats,  being  sure  to  give  it 
time  to  dry,  so  that  you  have  body  enough  to  smooth  it 
down  and  take  out  the  brush  marks  with  rotten-stone. 
Tn i o  rubbing-down  is  done  with  pulverized  rotten-stone, 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION  227 

laid  on  a  wet  woollen  rag,  or  felt,  and  then  rubbed  on  the 
painted  body  until  you  have  polished  off  all  the  brush 
marks.  The  most  that  there  is  about  this  operation  is 
— carefulness  not  to  rub  too  much  in  one  place  so  as  to 
rub  through  the  color,  and,  at  the  same  time,  polish  over 
every  part  evenly,  so  that  it  is  as  smooth  as  a  mirror. 
If,  by  accident,  you  have  rubbed  through  the  paint,  it 
sometimes  can  be  remedied  by  putting  on  the  injured 
spot  a  little  more  of  the  color  with  a  soft  brush ;  but 
this  kind  of  patching  cannot  be  carried  on  to  any  very 
great  extent  on  a  first  class  job.  While  you  are  rubbing 
down  the  paint,  use  a  sponge  and  water  frequently,  and 
wash  it  off  so  that  you  know  just  how  much  it  has  been 
rubbed. 

After  the  body  has  been  thoroughly  polished,  wash  it 
well  with  water,  until  you  have  removed  every  particle 
of  the  rotten-stone.  All  this  requires  the  utmost  care, 
and  the  workman  should  not  have  any  other  business  on 
his  mind  to  divert  his  attention  from  his  work.  Having 
got  a  sufficient  coat  of  paint  on  the  body,  the  next  thing 
will  be  to  prepare  it  for  ornamenting.  Painters  differ 
about  this.  Some  stripe  on  the  paint,  and  others  put  on 
a  coat  of  varnish  and  stripe  on  that.  I  prefer  the  last 
way,  because  the  striping  runs  on  to  the  varnish  easier 
than  on  the  paint ;  therefore,  I  should  put  on  a  coat  of 
good  varnish — and  by  good,  I  mean  the  very  best  Amer¬ 
ican  to  be  had — for  that  is  the  cheapest  for  the  work 
man,  in  order  to  produce  the  same  effect  in  looks. 

For  varnishing,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have  the 
room  free  from  dust ;  and  it  must  be  kept  at  a  temper¬ 
ature  about  as  warm  as  a  workman  can  comfortably  bear 
to  work  in.  If  you  are  not  sure  that  your  varnish  is  free 


228 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


from  specks,  it  will  be  better  to  filter  it  through  cotton 
factory  cloth;  sometimes  there  are  small  particles  of 
gum  in  the  varnish,  w'hich  are  transparent,  so  that  you 
cannot  see  them  until  after  the  varnish  has  been  laid  on 
to  the  work,  when  they  show  themselves  in  small  specks 
which  we  sometimes  take  for  specks  worked  out  of  the 
brush.  Lay  on  the  varnishes  with  a  good  fine  bristle 
brush,  even  and  with  straight  brush  marks,  drawn  very 
lightly  for  the  finish.  Sometimes,  on  a  very  smooth  fin¬ 
ished  job,  the  varnish  will  dry  leaving  little  pit-marks, 
where  the  varnish  seems  to  crawl  off  from  the  paint, 
making  it  look  as  though  it  had  had  the  small-pox*  I 
believe  this  is  a  defect  in  the  varnish,  and  1  never  saw  it 
do  so  but  once ;  yet  a  painter,  who  had  used  a  large 
quantity  from  the  same  lot  of  varnish,  told  me  that  it 
was  a  frequent  occurrence  with  him.  It  is  a  frequent 
occurrence  for  striping  and  varnish  to  crawl  off  from 
wdiere  it  has  been  laid,  and  I  think  the  preventive  of 
the  latter  difficulty  will  answer  for  the  former. 

To  prevent  paint  or  varnish  from  crawling,  take  a 
flannel  rag  and  rub  it  over  the  work  previous  to  varnish¬ 
ing,  striping,  or  painting  ;  this  will  prevent  any  difficulty 
about  its  crawling.  Of  a  great  many  ways  for  prevent¬ 
ing  paint  or  varnish  from  crawding,  which  I  have  seen 
practiced,  this,  I  think,  is  far  the  best  and  cheapest.  In 
varnishing,  always  be  careful  not  to  put  the  varnish  on 
the  corners  of  the  work  and  leave  it  to  run  down 
Always  examine  these  places  carefully  before  leaving 
the  work  ;  and,  as  a  general  thing,  you  must  commence 
on  the  inside  panels  of  a  body,  and  work  to  the  outer 
edge  the  last  thing.  Another  general  rule  is,  to  com¬ 
mence  the  work  that  is  the  highest  up  first,  and  finish 


AND  YARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


229 


that  which  is  the  lowest  last ;  this  prevents  dirt  from 
falling  on  and  sticking  to  the  paint  while  you  are  work¬ 
ing  on  it.  When  the  work  is  varnished,  close  the  room 
tight  and  leave  it  to  dry,  without  opening  the  doors  or 
doing  any  thing  to  get  dust  on  the  work,  until  it  gets  so 
that  it  will  not  stick.  After  taking  all  these  precautions 
to  prevent  specks,  if  you  should  still  be  unfortunate  and 
get  some  on,  they  must  be  removed  with  fine  sandpaper 
before  the  striping  or  ornamenting  is  commenced. 

In  ornamenting  and  striping  a  carriage,  it  requires 
considerable  taste  and  judgment.  If  the  painter  takes 
hold  of  his  work  as  an  artist  does  the  canvas,  and  tries 
to  see  how  much  of  his  skill  he  can  display  on  the  sur¬ 
face  he  has  to  work,  he  will  be  very  likely  not  to  please 
himself,  or  any  one  else.  He  should  be  contented,  not 
particularly  to  show  off  his  own  skill,  but  to  preserve 
and  show  in  the  most  graceful  manner  the  workmanship 
of  the  builder.  If  the  builder  has  not  got  gracefulness 
in  his  work,  then  the  painter  has  still  to  try,  by  striping, 
to  give  it  that  appearance.  It  is  very  often  the  case 
that  we  see  good  made  to  look  like  very  ordinary  work> 
merely  from  a  bad  taste  in  the  striping,  so  that  it  does 
not  preserve  the  gracefulness  which  the  builder  intended 
it  to  have,  and  no  one  seems  to  know  exactly  where  the 
fault  is,  for  he  cannot  point  out  any  particular  defect  in 
the  painting.  On  the  other  hand,  I  have  seen  very  ill¬ 
shaped  work,  particularly  in  that  kind  called  market 
wagons,  or  wagons  of  that  grade,  put  into  such  shape  by 
the  painter,  that  no  objection  was  made  to  their  ill-pro¬ 
portions.  There  is  a  certain  curved  line  which  enters 
into  the  form  of  things  having  beauty  and  gracefulness, 
and  if  that  line  is  wanting,  there  are  but  few  who  can 
20 


230 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


point  out  the  particular  defect,  but  every  one  knows 
there  is  something  wrong. 

In  large  panels  of  carriages,  and  particularly  on  th* 
backs  of  sleighs,  it  is  frequently  necessary  to  put  in  > 
centre  ornament,  which  relieves  the  large  and  clums* 
look  which  it  otherwise  would  have.  This  often  gives 
painters  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  because  they  do  not 
know  how  to  get  up  an  ornament ;  and  yet  the  thing  is 
very  simple  when  understood,  requiring  no  uncommon 
skill. 

I  will  now  give  the  process  of  putting  the  ornament 
on  the  panel  of  a  carriage,  as  it  will  be  necessary  to  do 
so  before  the  body  is  striped,  and  I  shall  not  revert  to 
the  subject  again,  although  I  expect  the  painter,  without 
any  very  great  stretch  of  ingenuity,  will  make  the  same 
process  answer  to  paint  landscapes  on  the  inside  of 
omnibuses,  put  borders  on  sleighs,  or,  in  fact,  do  anj 
kind  of  oimamenting. 

After  selecting  an  ornament,  take  a  piece  of  thin 
transparent  wrapping  paper  and  oil  it  over  with  linseerf 
oil  until  it  has  become  saturated,  then  rub  off  all  super 
fluous  oil,  and  afterward  lay  the  paper  over  any  one  of 
the  ornaments  which  you  may  select,  and  with  a  leatf 
pencil  trace  neatly  all  of  the  ornament,  not  leaving  ouf 
any  of  the  shades,  just  as  it  is  in  the  engraving ;  thee 
turn  the  paper  over  on  to  a  piece  of  white  paper,  and  or 
the  other  side  trace  the  same  engraving,  which  wib 
appear  very  distinct  on  the  other  side  of  the  oiled  paper 
The  panel  which  you  wish  to  put  the  ornament  on  must 
be  dusted  over  lightly  with  whiting,  if  you  intend  to  put 
any  gilt  in  it,  to  prevent  it  from  sticking  to  other  parts 
of  the  work  where  it  is  not  wanted;  then  have  the  panel 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


231 


put  into  a  horizontal  position,  and  lay  the  side  of  the 
ornament  which  you  draw  last  on  to  the  place  where 
you  want  it  painted,  and  fasten  it  there  by  laying  some 
small  weight  on  the  side  of  the  paper  from  where  you 
wish  to  work ;  then  with  your  pencil  trace  over  the  lines 
again  on  all  the  design  except  where  you  intend  to  put 
the  gold  leaf.  This  part  needs  only  to  be  traced  on  the 
outside  of  the  design.  The  result  of  this  operation  will 
be  that  tracing  the  design  over  on  the  paint  will  crowd 
the  pencil  mark  down  on  to  the  paint,  and  will  stick  as 
plainly  as  though  it  had  been  drawn  there  with  the  pen¬ 
cil.  The  side  of  the  paper  can  be  raised  to  see  if  you  are 
working  all  the  drawing  0*1  the  panel ;  if  you  do  not 
remove  the  weight  the  paper  will  fall  back  to  its  original 
place. 

After  the  design  is  drawn  on  the  panel,  take  some 
quick-drying  varnish,  and  with  a  common  sable  artist’s 
pencil,  lay  some  varnish  on  the  spot  where  the  gilt  is  to 
be  put,  and  after  the  varnish  has  got  hard,  and  yet  a 
little  tack  to  it — which  will  be  in  an  hour  or  two — then 
lay  on  the  gilt,  press  it  down  on  to  the  paint  so  as  to  have 
it  adhere.  Leave  it  for  three  or  four  hours,  if  you  can 
conveniently;  afterward  rub  it  down  with  some  soft 
buckskin,  or  a  silk  handkerchief,  and  then  lay  the  design 
on  to  the  gilt,  wrhich  you  can  very  plainly  see  to  do,  and 
with  the  pencil  draw  the  shades  the. same  as  before  on 
the  gilt.  This  will  give  you  the  design  of  what  you  want 
to  put  on  for  an  ornament  so  that  you  can  see  it  very 
distinctly  on  any  color,  and  all  the  painter  will  have  to  do 
will  be  to  color  and  shade  it  up  in  a  proper  manner.  For 
this  ornamenting  you  want  artists’  sable  hair  pencils, 
from  the  smallest  size  up  to  four  or  five  sizes  above. 


232 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


The  shade,  which  seems  the  most  appropriate  for  gilt, 
is  a  transparent  brownish  color,  which  is  got  by  mixing 
burnt  terra  de  sienna  with  black  asphaltum,  varnish,  and 
enough  of  oil  to  keep  it  from  drying  too  quickly. 

Commence  shading  the  gilt  by  putting  on  the  deep 
shades  as  they  are  in  the  engraving.  With  the  same 
paint  lighten  it  by  spreading  the  paint  thinner  on  the 
gilt,  as  the  parts  which  are  to  appear  the  most  promi¬ 
nent  must  not  be  touched  with  the  paint.  The  points 
of  scrolls  which  turn  over  so  as  to  show  the  other  side, 
can  be  tipped  with  orange-colored  paint,  lightened  up 
with  white,  or  frequently  with  some  other  color  which 
fancy  dictates.  The  painted  part  of  the  ornament  must 
be  painted  for  the  groundwork  with  the  color  directed, 
or  as  your  ora  judgment  may  dictate.  Shade  with  the 
same  shades  you  have  used  on  the  gilt,  or  perhaps  make 
a  little  more  opaque  by  adding  vandyke-brown,  lightened 
up  with  white  if  the  case  requires. 

A  very  tasty  ornament  can  be  made  by  putting  the 
groundwork  of  any  of  these  ornaments  wholly  of  gilt, 
and  shading  according  to  the  above  directions.  Those 
who  expect  to  excel  in  ornamenting  should  have  some 
knowledge  of  perspective,  which  can  be  had  by  consult¬ 
ing  the  Oxford  drawing-book,  or  perhaps  almost  any 
other  work  on  that  subject;  yet,  to  those  who  do  not 
aspire  any  higher  than  to  use  ornaments  that  have 
already  been  engraved,  the  above  process  will  be  suffi¬ 
cient. 

To  arrange  the  colors  in  striping,  there  are  a  few  rules 
that  should  always  be  observed  :  The  darkest  color  should 
be  on  the  outside.  If  a  carriage  body  is  to  be  of  twm 
colors,  the  outside  mouldings  should  be  a  darker  shade 


ANr  tarntsher’s  companion. 


233 


than  the  panels.  It  is  not  considered  in  accordance  with 
good  taste  to  put  much  striping  on  a  good  body ;  as  a 
general  thing,  one  fine  line  is  sufficient  for  a  panel,  but, 
if  it  is  necessary  to  put  on  any  more,  the  fine  line  must 
be  nearest  to  the  centre  of  the  panel,  or  on  the  inside  of 
(he  wider  stripes. 

There  cannot  be  any  precise  rule  laid  down  about 
mixing  the  paint  and  oil  for  striping,  and  yet  it  is  one 
of  the  most  important  things  to  have  the  stripes  run  on 
the  work  easy.  If  there  is  too  much  dryer  in  the  strip¬ 
ing  it  curdles  and  will  not  flow  over  the  place  where  it 
has  been  laid,  and  when  it  is  dry  the  body  paint  can  be 
seen  through  the  striping.  I  practice  using  boiled  oil 
for  wide  line  striping,  with  one  ffighth  turpentine,  and 
for  fine  lines  raw  oil  without  any  turpentine,  and  just  as 
little  dryer  as  will  suffice  to  make  the  striping  dry  in 
time.  For  both  kinds  be  careful  about  working  the 
paint  too  thick.  Take  time  to  get  the  striping  so  that 
it  works  easy,  and  you  will  save  time  before  the  job  is 
done.  Where  there  is  but  one  line  on  a  panel,  it  is  bet¬ 
ter  not  to  mark  it  with  the  dividers,  but  to  trust  to  your 
eye  to  get  it  correct;  but  new  beginners  may  have  to 
mark  the  line  until  they  get  full  command  of  the  hand. 
Where  there  are  two  or  more,  it  will  always  be  necessary 
to  run  the  dividers  on  one  side  of  all  the  lines  so  as  to 
keep  them  the  same  distances. 

For  a  gilt  stripe,  which  is  necessary  for  coaches,  sleighs, 
etc,.,  it  is  better  in  my  opinion  to  use  varnish  to  lay  the 
gilt  with  ;  and  if  the  varnish  dries  too  quickly,  a  little  raw 
oil  will  correct  that  and  make  it  more  tacky.  The  diffi¬ 
culty  in  fat-oil  for  laying  leaf  is,  that  it  often  spreads 
over  the  edges  of  the  stripe,  and  also,  it  has  too  much 
20* 


234 


THE  PAINTER,  GIRDER, 


body,  making  a  ridge  where  the  stripe  is.  It  seldom 
looks  well  to  see  a  stripe  on  a  panel  intersect  another 
stripe  at  right  angles  in  the  corners,  especially  where 
there  is  but  one  line  around  the  panels.  Some  shift  is 
nearly  always  made  to  make  the  corners  round  or  scal¬ 
loping. 

The  carriage  part  can  be  striped  more  than  the  body; 
and  small  tasty  scrolls,  put  into  proper  places,  have  very 
much  the  effect  in  filling  up  that  an  ornament  has  in  the 
centre  of  a  large  panel ;  yet  this  part  is  often  overdone 
with  stripes.  Great  care  should  be  taken  to  make  the 
stripes  true,  and  to  preserve,  as  has  before  been  said,  the 
beauty  of  form  in  the  carriage.  Preserve  the  same  style 
and  colors  as  nearly  as  can  be,  with  the  body  and  car¬ 
riage  part. 

I  use  what  are  called  “  camel’s  hair”  pencils,  and,  per¬ 
haps  from  habit,  cannot  use  any  other  kind  for  striping. 
Long  sable  hair  pencils  are  more  elastic  and  stiff,  the 
hairs  are  straighter,  and  will  keep  so  a  longer  time,  and 
the  pencil  will  last  enough  longer  to  nearly  pay  the  odds 
in  the  price;  and  if  the  painter  can  work  with  them  best, 
certainly  there  can  be  no  objection  to  using  them.  I 
find  as  much  difficulty  in  changing  from  the  “  camel’s 
hair”  to  the  sable  hair  brush,  as  in  changing  from  the 
quill  to  the  metallic  pen.  A  pencil  brush  should  be  from 
one  and  a  half  to  two  inches  long,  and  when  notin  use 
should  be  cleaned  out  with  turpentine,  dipped  into  lamp 
oil,  and  laid  carefully  away  on  a  window-glass,  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  hair  will  keep  perfectly  straight  ;  and 
when  you  want  to  use  them,  wash  them  out  in  turpen¬ 
tine  and  twirl  them  between  your  hands  until  they  have 
thrown  out  all  the  lamp-oil  and  turpentine,  and  they  will 


AND  VARNISIIER’S  COMPANION. 


235 


be  ready  for  use.  We  cannot  find  brushes  in  the  stores 
small  enough  to  make  the  fine  lines.  This  can  be  reme¬ 
died  by  cutting  away  some  of  the  hair,  or  you  can  make 
small  brushes  from  a  large  one,  by  taking  a  piece  of  rat¬ 
tan  and  making  it  round,  about  the  size  of  a  pencil  han¬ 
dle,  and  splitting  the  end  into  quarters  ;  then  turn  these 
split  parts  back  and  cut  off  the  corners  so  that  when 
they  are  turned  back  there  will  be  a  hollow ;  where  the 
corners  are  cut  out,  put  ■what  hair  you  want  into  this 
hollow  space  from  a  larger  pencil  brush,  and  fasten  it  by 
winding  a  thread  around  the  stick.  Wet  the  string  with 
glue,  and  you  have  a  very  good  pencil. 

After  a  carriage  has  been  striped,  it  should  have  time 
to  become  sufficiently  dj-y  before  varnishing,  or  there 
will  be  the  same  difficulty  with  its  cracking,  when  put 
on  over  the  striping,  as  is  found  in  putting  varnish  on 
the  body  paint  before  it  is  sufficiently  dry  This  diffi¬ 
culty  is  often  erroneously  attributed  to  the  inferior 
quality  of  the  varnish,  when  in  fact  it  is  nothing  more 
than  the  injudicious  application  of  varnish  before  the 
paint  has  become  sufficiently  dry.  In  the  application 
of  varnish,  a  practice  has  become  very  common,  and  is 
also  recommended  by  varnish  dealers,  of  using  different 
kinds  over  the  same  body  of  paint.  For  instance,  they 
have  what  they  call  rubbing  varnish,  to  be  applied  for 
the  first  coats,  which  will  dry  quick  and  hard,  making 
a  coat  that  can  be  polished  down  smooth  with  rotten- 
stone,  after  which  being  done,  they  recommend  putting 
a  coat  of  wearing  varnish  that  dries  slow  and  flows  over 
smoothly,  giving  a  beautiful  appearance  to  the  job. 
Painters  have  worse  practices  among  them  occasionally 
than  this ;  but,  I  must  say,  this  is  bad  enough,  as  may 


THE  PAINTER,  GTEHER, 


23G 

he  plainly  seen  by  investigating  the  subject  for  a  mo¬ 
ment.  Take  two  kinds  of  varnishing,  one  with  the 
foundation,  or  first  coats,  of  this  quick-drying  varnish ; 
the  other,  the  foundation  and  finishing  the  same,  of  the 
slow-drying,  wearing  varnish,  and  when  they  have  got 
thoroughly  dry,  test  them  by  the  force  of  resistance  that 
they  show  to  accidents  to  which  they  are  liable,  such  as 
scratching  or  jamming.  First,  take  the  point  of  a  pin 
and  scratch  it  across  the  surface  of  the  work  that  is  fin¬ 
ished  with  two  different  kinds  of  varnish — rubbing  and 
wearing — and  it  will  be  seen  that  the  point  of  the  pin 
will  make  a  ragged  kind  of  a  mark,  four  or  five  times  the 
width  of  the  pin  point ;  then  take  a  hammer  and  strike 
the  same  varnish,  and  it  will  he  seen  that  the  place  hit 
will  have  a  yellowish-white  appearance,  which  is  occa¬ 
sioned  by  the  under  or  rubbing  part  of  the  varnish 
crumbling  or  breaking  up. 

Again,  try  the  same  process  on  the  job  that  is  done 
wholly  with  the  wearing  varnish,  and  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  point  of  the  pin  will  make  a  mark  only  the  width  of 
the  point  of  the  pin,  leaving  the  edges  of  the  mark 
straight  and  regular.  The  stroke  of  the  hammer  will  be 
very  much  in  effect  like  striking  on  a  metallic  surface  : 
it  may  make  a  dent,  but  not  crumble  or  give  the  var¬ 
nish  another  color,  unless  it  be  a  very  violent  blow. 
Scratching  and  bruising  are  two  of  the  most  common 
accidents  varnish  is  liable  to.  If  we  take  two  carriages 
done  in  two  different  ways,  by  a  skilful  workman,  we 
may.  on  the  first  appearance,  pronounce  in  favor  of  the 
one  that  is  polished  smooth  with  the  rubbing  varnish  : 
but  put  them  in  use  together,  and  it  will  be  observed 
that  the  one  that  at  first  so  readily  met  with  our  appro- 


AND  VARNISHEE’S  COMPANION.  23? 

bation,  will  meet  with  the  first  accident  to  its  fine  finish; 
and  it  will  continue  in  the  same  way,  always  showing  a 
mark  for  every  bruise  or  scratch  that  it  receives.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  other  one  will  appear  as  if  it  had 
been  used  in  the  most  careful  way,  so  that  it  had  avoided 
all  accidents,  and  in  fact  will  preserve  its  finish  much 
the  longest. 

The  usual  practice  among  American  painters  is  to  use 
American  varnish  for  all  the  rubbing  coats,  and  finish 
with  a  flowing  coat  of  medium  English,  without  polish¬ 
ing.  The  objection  to  using  English  in  all  cases  is  that 
it  dries  so  slowly  that  it  would  take  at  least  six  months  to 
paint  and  varnish  a  carriage  with  it,  a  process  for  which 
no  customer  would  wait. 

In  order  to  varnish  a  carriage  well,  it  is  necessary  that 
you  be  well  acquainted  with  the  peculiarities  of  the  var¬ 
nish,  if  it  has  any  ;  and  remember  that  it  does  not  always 
insure  a  good  job  by  putting  on  a  great  many  coats,  but 
that  it  is  more  likely  the  desired  end  will  be  attained  by 
carefulness  and  good  judgment.  If  it  is  cold  weather, 
see  that  your  varnish  is  made  of  about  the  same  tem¬ 
perature  as  the  room  that  you  varnish  in,  which  should 
be  as  warm  as  you  can  comfortably  work  in.  The  same 
may  be  observed  with  regard  to  the  job  that  you  are  to 
apply  it  to,  as  near  as  can  be  had. 

Before  you  commence  to  lay  varnish  on  work,  see  that 
your  person  is  free  from  dust,  lint,  or  any  substance  that 
will  fly  from  you  to  the  varnish ;  that  the  room  is  per¬ 
fectly  free  from  dust,  or  any  current  of  air  that  may 
bring  dust  on  to  your  work  ;  and  that  your  brush — which 
should  be  of  good,  fine  elastic  bristles — is  carefully  freed 
from  all  specks  that  will  work  out  into  the  varnish  when 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER, 


2-38 

laid  on.  Sprinkle  the  floor  of  the  varnish-room  with 
water,  which  prevents  the  dust  rising  from  the  floor; 
dust  off  the  work  well  with  the  duster,  and  have  all 
specks  removed  from  the  work. 

If  you  have  a  body  to  varnish,  commence  at  the  high¬ 
est  part  first,  and  work  downward.  Use  the  brush,  with 
a  good  supply  of  varnish  in  it,  quickly,  and  draw  the  finish¬ 
ing  stroke  as  straight  as  possible,  very  slightly  pressing 
on  to  the  work.  When  the  work  is  thoroughly  spread 
over,  and  evenly  laid  on,  the  least  brushing  that  it  gets 
after  this  the  better.  But  this  last  direction  must  not 
be  construed  into  carelessness  about  your  work.  The 
“  sleight”  is  to  lay  the  varnish  evenly  over  the  work  in 
the  shortest  possible  time  that  it  can,  and  be  well  done. 
When  varnishing  over  panels,  they  should  be  done  first, 
and  the  raised  parts  afterward.  Care  should  be  taken 
about  leaving  varnish  on  the  corners,  or  any  other  place 
where  it  will  run  down. 

To  varnish  the  carriage-part,  the  same  rules  should  be 
observed;  that  is,  to  keep  it  free  from  dirt  or  the  minute 
specks  that  are  more  or  less  constantly  flying  in  the  air. 
Sometimes  these  minute  particles  are  in  the  varnish,  and 
cannot  be  seen  until  the  varnish  is  laid  on  to  a  smooth 
surface  of  paint,  and  then  they  show  themselves  plainly. 
To  avoid  them,  the  varnish  should  be  filtered  through  a 
cloth.  Two  coats  of  the  best  wearing  varnish  laid  over  a 
polished  surface  of  paint,  are  enough  to  make  a  good  job, 
providing  that  it  has  been  properly  spread,  and  no  acci¬ 
dent  happened  to  it  while  drying.  Varnish,  when  laid  on 
with  a  brush,  will  show  more  or  less  the  brush  marks,  as 
the  bristles  leave  it  in  ridges.  With  only  two  coats  of 
good  flowing  varnish,  these  ridges  are  scarcely  percepti- 


AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION. 


239 


ble,  but  if  you  add  more,  it  will  make  the  ridges  more 
plain,  and  then  follows  the  necessity  of  polishing  down 
the  surface,  and  then  putting  on  a  single  coat  of  finishing 
varnish.  In  the  very  best  finished  work  this  polishing 
the  varnish  is  pursued,  but,  as  we  have  said,  it  does  not 
strike  us  as  being  a  very  good  way  to  finish  work.  To 
polish  varnish,  there  is  an  absolute  necessity  of  its  not 
only  being  dry,  but  being  so  dry  and  hard  that  it  be¬ 
comes  brittle ;  but  the  more  brittle  it  is,  the  easier  it 
will  polish.  Now,  good  wearing  varnish  flows  over  the 
paint  better,  and  is  much  longer  in  drying  than  the 
rubbing  varnish;  in  fact,  it  never  can  be  made  to  rub 
down  as  easily  as  rubbing  varnish,  and  for  that  reason 
is  very  seldom  used  for  that  purpose. 

In  using  rubbing  varnish  for  the  first  coat,  it  will  oe 
necessary  to  let  it  dry  hard  before  the  next  is  put  on,  and 
in  this  way  get  three  or  four  coats  on  the  body,  and  well 
dried,  before  you  undertake  rubbing  it  down.  After¬ 
ward,  take  some  ground  rotten-stone,  mixed  in  water  so 
that  it  will  be  as  thick  as  cream,  then  take  a  woollen  rag, 
made  up  into  a  shape  suitable  to  rub  the  work  with,  and 
dip  it  into  the  rotten-stone,  rubbing  the  varnish  until  all 
the  brush  marks  are  obliterated,  and  it  then  assumes  a 
smooth,  polished  surface.  Have  a  sponge  and  water 
handy,  so  that  you  can  wash  off  the  surface  from  time  to 
time,  to  see  if  the  object  is  accomplished ;  and  when  you 
have  rubbed  away  every  trace  of  a  ridge  that  has  been 
made  by  the  brush  on  the  surface  of  the  varnish,  the 
work  of  rubbing  is  over,  and  you  must  now  wash  the 
work  entirely  clean,  and  then  apply  a  coat  of  wearing 
varnish,  as  before  directed. 

The  most  common  difficulty  that  arises  about  rubbing 


240 


THE  PAINTER,  GILDER,  ETC. 


paint  or  varnish  is,  that  we  do  not  give  it  a  sufficient 
time  to  dry  hard  before  we  commence  rubbing  down. 
Again,  paint  or  varnish  that  rubs  down  well  will  not 
wear  on  account  of  the  necessity  there  is  of  adding  more 
turpentine,  which  entirely  evaporates  from  the  paint, 
leaving  less  glutinous  oil  for  holding  the  paint  on  to  the 
wood.  The  fact  of  making  paint  or  varnish  easier  to 
work  by  destroying  its  wearing  quality,  is  a  great  temp¬ 
tation  to  the  workman  to  get  praise  as  a  fancy  workman 
at  the  expense  of  the  wearing  quality  of  his  work.  This 
last  difficulty  is  avoided  on  the  carriage-part  b}f  following 
the  directions  for  laying  on  the  paint  as  we  have  given 
them,  and  by  so  doing  it  obviates  the  difficulty  of  making 
paint  brittle  in  order  to  have  it  rub  down  easy;  also 
«avos  time,  and  makes  a  handsomer  job. 


INDEX 


PAGE 


Accidents . 177 

Amber  Varnish .  59 

Amethyst  Colored  Foil .  127 

Ancient  Green .  205 

Antimony,  Yellow  of .  33 

Apparatus .  7 

Arrangement  of  Colors  in  Strip¬ 
ing .  232 

Arrangement  of  Letters .  213 

Azure .  36 

Azure  Blues .  141 

Balloons,  Varnish  for .  175 

Bird’s-Eye  Maple  in  Distemper..  197 

Black  .Bardella .  208 

Black,  Fish  Oil .  136 

Black  and  Gold  Marble .  203 

Black  Rosewood,  to  imitate. .  169 

Blacks .  22 

Black  Varnish  for  Coaches  and 

Iron- work .  170 

Black  Varnish  for  old  Straw  or 

Chip  Hats .  63 

Blue  Foil .  127 

Blues  . . 33 

Blues  in  glass  Staining .  140 

Bluish  Gray  for  Mixtures .  151 

Bluish  Green .  142 

Blue  Verditer .  37 

Boiled  Oil .  217 

Bougival  White .  21 

Brass,  Lacquer  for .  117 

Brass,  to  Gild . . .  113 

Brass  Work,  to  clean,  for  Lac¬ 
quering  .  119 

Brick  colour .  42 

Brick  Red .  147 

Brittleness  of  Boiled  Oil  when 

Dry.... . 217,  219 

Bronzing . . .  120 

Bronzing  on  Wood . 121 

Bronzing  Iron .  121 

Brown  Gun  Barrels .  173 

Brown  Red,  Fish  Oil .  135 

Browns .  41 


PAGE 


Brown  Yellow  Ochre.. ‘ .  —  140 

Brunswick  Green .  39 

Brush,  Camel  Hair,  use  of .  226 

Brushes . 13,  191 

Brushes  for  striping .  234 

Brushes  and  Pencils,  cleanliness 

of. .  89 

Buff .  42 

Burns  and  Scalds .  184 

Camel’s  Hair  Brush,  use  of. .  226 

Camel’s  Hair  Pencil,  use  of  in 

striping .  234 

Camphorated  Copal  Varnish .  57 

Caoutchouc  or  Gum-Elastic  Var¬ 
nish .  60 

Carmine .  26 

Carmines  and  Greens,  Fluxes  for.  139 

Carnation .  43 

Carriage  Body,  Ironing .  222 

Carved  Wood.  Gilding .  107 

Carver’s  Polish .  72 

Ceruse .  19 

Changing  Varnishes .  64 

Charcoal  Blacks .  22 

Chestnut  colour .  43 

Chimneys,  to  cover  with  Lead 

Ore .  171 

Chlorine .  54 

Chocolate  colour .  .  44 

Chocolate  colour,  Fish  Ml..... .  136 

Chromate  of  Lead .  31 

Chrome  Yellow .  31 

Cleanliness  in  Working .  88 

Clean  Marble,  Sienna,  Jasper, 

and  Porphyry .  171 

Clean  Pictures .  173 

Clean  Silver  Furniture .  170 

Clock  Faces,  Varnish  for .  174 

Cloth,  to  Paint .  164 

Clove  Brown .  149 

Coaches,  Varnish  for .  170 

Coach  Painting  and  Varnishing..  217 

Coating,  White .  79 

Coats  of  Rough  Stuff .  222 

(241) 


INDEX, 


PAGE 


Cochineal  Lake .  28 

Colic,  Painter’s . . .  177 

Colour,  Grinding .  225 

Col  ours,  arrangement  in  Striping.  232 
Colour-heightening  Compositions  74 

Colouring  Yellow .  79 

Colours .  19 

Colour's,  application  of,  in  Glass 

Staining .  153 

Colours,  Fish  Oil .  130 

Colours  for  Oak .  191 

Colours,  Grinding  and  Washing...  83 

Colours,  Harmony  of .  158 

Colours  in  Iron,  in  Glass  Stain¬ 
ing .  148 

Colours  of  Gold  in  Glass  Stain¬ 
ing .  147 

Combs .  190 

Complete  Instructions  for  Coach 

Painting  and  Tarnishing .  217 

Compound  colours .  42 

Copal  Varnish .  56 

Copal  Tarnish  in  imitation  of 

Tortoise-shell .  57 

Copper  and  Brass,  to  Tin .  161 

Copper  Foil .  125 

Copper,  to  Gild .  113 

Cork  Combs .  191 

Court  Plaster .  166 

Cracking  of  Tarnish .  225 

Crawling  of  Varnish .  228 

Cream,  Painter’s .  81 

Dark-coloured  Woods,  Polish  for.  71 

Dark  Lead  colour .  44 

‘k  Dead  Coat” . 21S 

Deep  Black .  152 

Deep  Blood  Red .  147 

Deep  Nankin  Yellow .  146 

Deep  Violet .  148 

Deep  Yellow .  145 

Deep  Yellow  Ochre .  146 

Derbyshire  Spar .  20S 

Diet  of  Painters .  187 

Directions  for  Graining  and  Imi¬ 
tating  Wood  and  Marbles .  190 

Diseases .  177 

Distemper,  Bird’s-Eye  Maple  in..  197 

Distemper,  Mahogany  in .  201 

Distemper,  Painting  in .  94 

Distemper,  to  grain  Pollard  and 

Root  of  Oak  in.../. .  196 

Dove  Marble .  208 

Dragon,  Pistache,  and  Olive 

Green .  143 

Drawings,  Gilding .  115 


PAGE 


Drawings,  Tarnish  for .  63 

Dryer,  A .  219 

Dryer  for  Raw  Oil .  219 

Drying  Oils .  49 

Drying  Quality  of  Boiled  Oil .  218 

Dust  to  be  Excluded  from  the 

Paint  Shop .  217 

Dutch  or  German  Gold .  76 

Eagle  Marine  coloured  Foil .  128 

Edges  of  Paper,  Gilding .  116 

Egyptian  Green  Marble .  20e 

Emerald  Green .  142 

Enamel  Blue .  36 

Ethereal  Solution  of  Gold .  76 

Extra  Jobs .  22e 

Fat  Oils .  48 

Fawn  colour . 44 

Flesh  colour .  44 

Flesh  Red .  149 

Fine  Black  Tarnish  for  Coaches 

and  Iron-work .  170 

Finishing  polish .  73 

Finishing  up  to  receive  color .  223 

Fish  Oil  colours .  130 

Fixed  Wax  Yellow .  145 

Fixed  Yellow . :..  144 

Flake  White .  19 

Flaxen  Gray .  42 

Fluxes .  139 

Flux  for  Carmines  and  Greens....  139 

Foil,  Copper .  125 

Foils .  125 

Foils,  to  Colour .  126 

Forms  of  Letters .  211 

French  Polish . 72,  102 

Furnace  used  in  Glass  Staining...  154 

Furniture,  Oil  for .  173 

Furniture,  Paste  for .  172 

Garnet  Red  Foil .  127 

General  Observations .  1S7 

German  Gold .  76 

Giallolini . 32 

Gild  Copper,  Brass,  &c .  113 

Gilding  carved  Wood  wit  hWater 

Size . 107 

Gilding  Glass  and  Porcelain .  113 

Gilding  Leather .  114 

Gilding  Materials .  74 

Gilding  Plaster  or  Marble  with 

Water  Size .  Ill 

Gilding,  Practice  of. .  107 

Gilding  the  edges  of  Paper .  116 

Gilding  Wood  in  Oil .  112 


INDEX. 


243 


PAGE 

Gilding  Writings,  Drawings.......  115 

Gild  Letters,  to................. .  214 

Gild  on  Glass... . . . 215 

Gild  Steel . 112 

Glass  Mattrass.. . . .  17 

Glass  Staining... . . . .  137 

Glass,  Staining  Application  of 
colours  on.............................  152 

Glass  Staining,  Furnace  and  Muf¬ 
fle  used  in . . . 154 

Glass,  to  Gild............ . 113 

Glass,  to  Write,  Gild,  and  Orna¬ 
ment  on...... . 215 

Glass,  Varnish  for...........  . .  63 

Glue  and  Isinglass..... . .  82 

Gold  colours.............................  43 

Gold  Coloured  Copal  Varnish......  56 

Gold,  Ethereal  Solution  of.... .  76 

Gold,  Mosaic . 75 

Gold  Oil  colour................ . 78 

Gold  Powder . 74 

Gold  water  Size. . 78 

Gracefulness... . . . 229 

Graining  colour..... . 191 

Grain  Maple  in  Oil............. .  199 

Granites......... . 209 

Grass  Green... . . 44,  143 

Gray  Flux...... ................... ......  139 

Gray,  Flaxen................. . 42 

Grayish -black  for  Mixtures........  151 

Gray,  Light . . . 42 

Green  Foil . . . 128 

Green,  Grass...... . 44 

Green  Lake......................... .  40 

Greens  . . 37 

Greens,  Fish  Oil... ............ ...132,  134 

Greens  in  Glass  Staining......  .....  142 

Green  Verditer . . .  40 

Grinding  and  Washing  colours...  83 
Grindstone...............................  7 

Gum  Elastic  Varnish. ........ .......  60 

Gun  barrel,  to  Brown . .  173 

Gutta  Percha  Combs.......... .......  190 

Gypsum................ . 21 

Hair  Brown.............................  150 

Hard  Carmine...,. . . . 148 

Hard  Varnish........ . 62 

Harmony  of  colours..................  158 

Hatchet’s  Brown . . . 41 

Hats.  Varnish  for...... . 63 

Hollows,  Filling  up . .  223 

Hungary  Green.. . . .  38 

Imitate  Black  Rosewood . .  169 

Imitate  Rosewood . . .  168 


PAGE 

Imitate  Tortoise-Shell....... . .  167 

Imitating  Wood  and  Marble .  190 

Imitation  Marbles  to  Polish .  21 0 

Indigo . . .  34 

Indigo  Blue . 141 

Indigo  Grinding  Mill . .......9,  11 

Ink  Spots,  to  take,  out  of  Mahog¬ 
any . . . 172 

Inside  Painting,  White  for. . .  171 

Instructions  for  Sign  Writing..*..,  211 
Instructions  in  Coach  Painting 

and  Varnishing............. .  217 

Ironing  Carriage  body,  when  to 

be  done . 222 

Iron,  to  Tin.. ................... .........  161 

Isabella  Yellow........................  147 

Isinglass . . . 82 

Italian  Green.... . 38 

Italian  Jasper . 207 

Ivory  Black . 22 

Japan,  Brown,  in  Preparation  of 

Raw  Oil.......... . 219 

Japan  for  a  Dryer . . .  219 

Japanning............. ..................  123 

Japanning,  colour  required .  123 

Japau,  Tortoise  Shell... ....... ......  124 

Jasper,  to  Clean...... . 171 

Jonquil......... .  43 

Jonquille  Yellow . .  145 

Lacquer  for  Brass... . . 117 

Lacquer  for  Philosophical  In¬ 
struments.............................  117 

Lacquer,  Gold  coloured.. . .  118 

Lacquering...... . .  117 

Lacquer  of  various  Tints...........  119 

Lake . . . 28 

Lamp  Black . .  23 

Lamp  Black  with  Priming  Coat.  220 

Lavender  Blue . .  142 

Lavender,  Oil  of. . . .  45 

Lead  colour. . 43 

Lead  colour,  Dark . . 44 

Lead,  Fish  Oil . 133 

Lead  Ore,  to  cover  backs  of  Chim¬ 
neys  with...... . 171 

Leather,  Gilding.......................  114 

Lemon  Yellow . 43 

Letters,  Form  of. . 211 

Letters,  Raise... . .  213 

Letters,  Setting  out..................  213 

Letters,  to  Gild.... . . . 214 

Letters  to  make  appear  to  stand 

out . 213 

Letters,  to  Shadow........ . .  213 


INDEX, 


2 11 


PAGE 

Light  Gray .  42 

Light  Timber  colour .  44 

Light  Willow  colour .  44 

Linen  Cloths,  to  Thicken .  165 

Linseecl  Oil .  46 

Linseed  Oil  Varnish .  56 

Liver  Brown .  150 

lvladder  Carmine .  28 

Madder  Lake .  28 

Mahogany  in  Distemper .  201 

Mahogany  in  Oil .  201 

Mahogany,  to  Imitate .  44 

Mahogany,  to  take  Ink  Spots  out 

of .  172 

Manuscript  or  Text  Hand,  prac¬ 
tice  is  necessary  for  a  Sign 

Writer .  211 

Maple  in  Oil .  199 

Marble,  Black  Bardella .  208 

Marble,  Black  and  Gold .  204 

Marble,  Dove .  208 

Marble,  Egyptian  Green .  206 

Marble,  Gilding .  Ill 

Marble,  Italian  Jasper .  207 

Marble,  Rouge  Roi .  206 

Marble .  203 

Marble,  Saint  Ann’s .  205 

Marble,  Sienna .  203 

Marble,  imitating .  190 

Marbles,  Principal  adapted  to 

general  use  in  decoration .  203 

Marble,  to  clean .  171 

Marble,  Vord  Antique .  203 

Massicot . .. .  30 

Mastic  Varnish . 60 

Milk,  Painting  in .  97 

Minium .  25 

Moll-stick .  16 

Mordant  Varnishes .  65 

Mosaic  Gold . 75 

Mufllerused  in  Glass  Staining....  154 

Muller . .  7 

Muriate  of  Gold .  77 

Nankin  Yellow .  146 

Naples  Yellow .  32 

Nausea .  184 

New  Brown .  41 

Nut  Oil .  46 

Oak,  imitating .  190 

Oak,  Root  of. .  196 

Oak-wood  colour .  42 

Oil.  Boiled .  217 

Oil-Cloth,  to  make.. .  162 


PA  OB 

Oil  for  Furniture . 173 

Oil,  Mahogany  in .  201 

Oil  of  Lavender .  45 

Oil  of  Poppies .  45 

Oil  of  Spike .  45 

Oil  of  Turpentine .  48 

Oil,  Pilchard .  50 

Oil,  Preparing .  217 

Oil,  Raw .  217 

Oil,  Raw,  preparation  of .  219 

Oils .  45 

Oils,  Drying .  49 

Oil,  to  grain  Maple  in .  199 

Oil,  to  prepare  for  Fish  Oil  Col¬ 
ours  .  130 

Olivo  colour .  43 

Orange  colour .  43 

Orange  Yellow .  147 

Ornamenting  and  Striping .  229 

Ornament  on  Glass .  215 

Ornament  on  Panel .  230 

Orpiment .  32 

Paint  and  Oil,  mixing  for  Strip¬ 
ing .  233 

Painter,  Diet  of .  1S7 

Painter’s  Colic . 177 

Painter’s  Cream . 81 

Painters,  Diseases  and  Acci- 

.  177 

Painting,  Coach .  217 

Painting  in  Milk . . . 97 

Painting,  Practice  of. .  91 

Palette-knife .  13 

Pale  Yellow  Ochre .  146 

Panel,  Ornaments  in .  .  230 

Paste  for  Furniture .  172 

Patent  Yellow .  31 

Pearl  Gray .  42 

Pencils .  - 1 5 

Pictures,  to  Clean . 173,  174 


|  Pigments  for  Painting  on  Glass..  137 


Pilchard  Oil.. .  50 

Place  to  do  Work  in .  217 

Plaster,  Gilding .  Ill 

Plaster  of  Paris .  21 

Poisonous  Substances,  effects  of...  131 

Polish,  Carver’s .  72 

Polishes .  70 

Polish,  Finishing .  73 

Polish  for  Dark-coloured  Woods.  71 

Polish  for  Tunbridge-ware .  71 

Polish.  French . 72,  102 

Polish  imitation  Marbles,  to .  210 

Polish,  Water-proof. .  72 

Pollard  Oak .  '  95 


INDEX. 


245 


PAGE 

Pollard  Oak  in  Distemper .  196 

Poppies,  Oil  of .  45 

Porcelain,  to  Gild .  113 

Porphyry,  to  Clean .  171 

Portland  Stone  colour .  44 

Practice  of  Gilding .  107 

Practice  of  Painting .  91 

Practice  of  Varnishing  and  Pol¬ 
ishing .  100 

Practicing  Sign  Writing,  Arti¬ 
cles  necessary  in .  212 

Preparatory  Size .  78 

Preparing  Oil  . 217 

Priming  Coat .  219 

Printers’  Ink .  165 

Prussian  Blue .  33 

Pumice  Stone,  Smoothing  with...  222 

Pure  Purple . 148 

Purple .  43 

Putty  Powder . 70 

Raise  Letters .  213 

Rawlinson’s  Indigo  Grinding- 

mill . . .  11 

Raw  Oil .  217 

Raw  Oil,  Advantages  of. .  219 

Raw  Oil  in  Ship  Painting .  219 

Raw  Oil,  Preparation  of. .  219 

Receipts,  Useful . * .  159 

Red . . . 24,  30 

Red  Lead .  25 

Red  Lead,  Drying  Qualities  of....  219 

Red  Shell-lac  Varnish .  55 

Rosewood .  202 

Rosewood,  Black,  to  imitate .  169 

Rosewood,  to  imitate .  168 

Root  of  Oak .  196 

Root  of  Oak  in  Distemper .  196 

Rotten  Stone .  81 

Rouge  Roi,  or  Royal  Red  Marble.  206 

Rough  Stuffing. .  221 

Rubber.... .  17 

Ruby  Coloured  Foil . . .  127 

Sail-Cloth,  to  Paint .  162 

Saint  Ann’s .  205 

Sandpapering  after  Priming .  220 

Sandpapering  Wood-work .  220 

Satin  Wood .  200 

Satin  Wood,  to  imitate .  44 

Saxon  Blue .  36 

Saxon  Green .  38 

Scalds  and  Burns .  184 

Scheele’s  Green .  38 

Sch wein fur t  Green .  39 

Second  Coat  on  Carriages .  220 


PAGS 


Second  Coat,  Rubbing  down 

after .  226 

Sepia  Brown .  150 

Setting  out  of  Letters .  213 

Shading . 232 

Shadow  Letters,  to .  213 

Shell-lac  Varnish .  54 

Shell-lac  Varnish,  Red .  55 

Ship  Painting,  Raw  Oil  in .  219 

Sienna .  203 

Sienna,  to  Clean .  171 

Sign  Writing .  211 

Sign  Waiting  a  mere  Mechanical 

Art .  211 

Silver  by  Heat,  to .  160 

Silver  Furniture,  to  Clean .  17C 

Silver  or  Pearl  Gray .  42 

Sizes . . . 78,  82 

Sky  Blue .  141 

Smalt .  36 

Smoothing  with  Pumice  Stone....  220 

Smoothing  with  Sandpaper .  220 

Sole  Leather,  use  of,  in  Smooth¬ 
ing  after  Priming.-. .  220 

Spanish  Brown. .  29 

Spanish  White .  21 

Spatulas .  17 

Spike,  Oil  of. .  45 

Spirit  colour .  194 

Spirits,  Effect  of,  upon  Painters..  187 

Spirits  of  Wine .  52 

Spirits  of  Wine,  to  increase  the 
Strength  of  Common  Recti¬ 
fied  .  159 

Steel,  to  Gild .  112 

Sticking  Plaster .  166 

Striping,  Arrangement  of  colours 

in .  232 

Striping,  Brushes  for .  234 

Striping,  Mixing  the  Paint  and 

Oil  for .  233 

Striping  and  Ornamenting .  229 

Striping,  use  of  Camel  Hair  Pen¬ 
cils  in .  234 

Striping,  Varnish  in .  233 

Stone  colour..... .  44 

Stone  colour,  Fish  Oil .  135 

Sugar  of  Lead  and  Vitriol  as  a 

Dryer .  219 

Suitable  place  to  Work  in .  217 

Sulphur  Yellow .  141 

Taylor’s  Indigo  Grinding  mill .  9 

Timber  colour,  Light .  14 

Tunbridge-ware,  Polish  for .  71 

Tin  Foil  .  125 


246 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Tin,  to .  161 

Tools  and  Apparatus .  7 

Turquoise  Blue . 141 

Tortoise  Shell  Japan .  124 

Tortoise  Shell,  to  imitate .  167 

Tortoise  Shell,  Varnish  in  imita¬ 
tion  of .  67 

Tripoli .  70 

Turner’s  Yellow .  31 

Turpentine,  mixing  with  Boiled 

Oil .  218 

Turpentine,  Oil  of. .  48 

Turpentine  Varnish .  55 

Turpentine,  Varnish  made  with..  67 

Ultramarine .  35 

Umber .  41 

Useful  Receipts .  159 

Varnish,  Amber .  59 

Varnish,  Camphorated  Copal .  57 

Varnish,  Copal .  56 

Varnish,  Cracking .  225 

Varnish,  Crawling .  228 

Varnished  Silk,  to  prepare .  164 

Varnishes .  51 

Varnishes,  Care  in  Making .  6S 

Varnish,  Changing .  64 

Varnishes,  General  Observations 

Varnishes,  Mordant .  65 

Varnishes  for  Paling  and  Coarse 

Wood-work .  62 

Varnish  for  Balloons .  175 

Varnish  for  Clock  Faces .  174 

Varnish  for  Coaches  and  Iron¬ 
work .  170 

Varnish  for  Coloured  Drawings...  63 
Varnish  for  Drawings  and  Card- 

work .  64 

Varnish  for  .Glass .  63 

Varnish  for  Violins .  61 

Varnish,  Gold-coloured  Copal .  56 

Varnish,  Gum-elastic .  60 

Varnishing .  227 

Varnishing  after  Striping .  235 

Varnishing  Carriages .  235 

Varnishing  Coaches .  217 

Varnishing  and  Polishing,  prac¬ 
tice  of .  100 

Varnish  in  Striping .  233 

Varnish.  Linseed  Oil .  56 

Varnish,  Mastic .  60 

Varnish  in  Ornaments .  231 

Varnish  Polish .  70 

Varnish  to  imitate  the  Chinese...  170 


PAGE 


Varnish  to  preserve  Glass .  168 

Varnish,  Turpentine .  53 

Varnish,  White  Hard .  62 

Venetian  Emerald .  40 

Verd  Antique . '  205 

Verdigris .  37 

Vermeil .  80 

Vermilion .  24 

Verona  Green . 38 

Violet  Blue .  142 

Violet  colour .  43 

Violins,  Varnish  for .  61 

Vitriol  as  a  Dryer .  219 

Voider .  13 

Wainscot,  to  imitate .  44 

Walnut .  197 

Walnut-tree  colour .  43 

Washing  and  Grinding  colours...  S3 

Washing  off  Rotten  Stone .  227 

Water-proof  Polish .  72 

Waxing .  105 

Wax  Yellow .  145 

Weakness  of  the  Wrists .  180 

White .  150 

White  Chalk .  22 

White  Coating .  79 

White  for  inside  Painting .  171 

White  Hard  Varnish .  62 

White  Lead .  19 

White  of  Troyes . .  22 

Whites .  19 

Willow  colour .  44 

Wood  Brown .  150 

Wood  Gilding  in  Oil .  112 

Wood  and  Marble,  imitating .  190 

Wood-work,  Sand  Papering .  220 

Wrists,  Weakness  of. .  180 

Write  on  Glass .  215 

Writings,  Gilding .  115 

Yellow .  30 

Yellow  Arsenic .  32 

Yellow,  Colouring .  79 

Yellow,  Fish  Oil .  136 

Yellow  Foil .  128 

Yellow  for  Browns  and  Greens...  144 
Yellowish-Gray  for  Browns  and 

Red .  151 

Yellow,  Lemon .  43 

Yellow  Ochre .  30 

Yellow  of  Antimony .  33 

Yellow  Pink .  33 

Yellows  in  Glass  Staining .  113 

Zaffre .  30 


CATALOGUE 

OF 

PRACTICAL  AO  SCIENTIFIC  BOOKS, 

PUBLISHED  BY 

HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD, 

INDUSTRIAL  PUBLISHER, 


INTO.  406  W^-IL-UXT-CTT  STREET, 
PHILADELPHIA. 


tjjp’  Any  of  the  Books  comprised  in  this  Catalogue  will  be  sent  by  mail,, 
free  of  postage,  at  the  publication  price. 

This  Catalogue  will  be  sent,  free  of  postage,  to  any  one  who  will 
furnish  the  publisher  with  his  address. 


EMEU GAUD,  AMOUROUX,  AND  JOHNSON— THE  PRACTICAL 
‘  DRAUGHTSMAN’S  BOOK  OF  INDUSTRIAL  DESIGN,  AND 
MACHINIST’S  AND  ENGINEER’S  DRAWING  COMPANION: 

Forming  a  complete  course  of  Mechanical  Engineering  and 
Architectural  Drawing.  From  the  French  of  M.  Armengaud 
the  elder,  Prof,  of  Design  in  the  Conservatoire  of  Arts  aDd 
Industry,  Paris,  and  MM.  Armengaud  the  younger  and  Amou- 
roux,  Civil  Engineers.  Rewritten  and  arranged,  with  addi¬ 
tional  matter  and  plates,  selections  from  and  examples  of  the 
most  useful  and  generally  employed  mechanism  of  the  day. 
By  William  Johnson,  Assoc.  Inst.  C.  E.,  Editor  of  “The 
Practical  Mechanic’s  Journal.”  Illustrated  by  50  folio  steel 
plates  and  50  wood-cuts.  A  new  edition,  4to.  .  $10  00 


A  RROWSMITH.— PAPER-HANGER’S  COMPANION : 

A  Treatise  in  which  the  Practical  Operations  of  the  Trade  are 
Systematically  laid  down:  with  Copious  Directions  Prepara¬ 
tory  to  Papering ;  Preventives  against  the  Effect  of  Damp  on 
Walls;  the  Various  Cements  and  Pastes  adapted  to  the  Seve¬ 
ral  Purposes  of  the  Trade;  Observations  and  Directions  for 
the  Panelling  and  Ornamenting  of  Rooms,  &c.  By  Jambs 
Akrowsmitii,  Author  of  “Analysis  of  Drapery,”  &c.  12mo., 

cloth . ,  .  .  .  $1  25 


2 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


"D  AIRD. — THE  AMERICAN  COTTON  SPINNER,  AND  MANA- 
-0  GER’S  AND  CARDER’S  GUIDE  : 

A  Practical  Treatise  on  Cotton  Spinning;  giving  the  Dimen¬ 
sions  and  Speed  of  Machinery,  Draught  and  Twist  Calcula¬ 
tions,  etc. ;  with  notices  of  recent  Improvements :  together 
with  Rules  and  Examples  for  making  changes  in  the  sizes  and 
numbers  of  Roving  and  Yarn.  Compiled  from  the  papers  of 
the  late  Robert  H.  Baird.  12mo.  .  .  .  §>1  50 

D  AKER.— LONG-SPAN  RAILWAY  BRIDGES  : 

Comprising  Investigations  of  the  Comparative  Theoretical  and 
Practical  Advantages  of  the  various  Adopted  or  Proposed  Type 
Systems  of  Construction ;  with  numerous  Formulae  and  Ta¬ 
bles.  By  B.  Baker.  12mo.  .  .  .  .  .  $2  00 

DAKEWELL.— A  MANUAL  OF  ELECTRICITY— PRACTICAL  AND 
THEORETICAL : 

By  F.  C.  Bakewell,  Inventor  of  the  Copying  Telegraph.  Se¬ 
cond  Edition.  Revised  and  enlarged.  Illustrated  by  nume¬ 
rous  engravings.  12mo.  Cloth  .  .  .  .  $2  00 

•DEANS— A  TREATISE  ON  RAILROAD  CURVES  AND  THE  L0- 
■D  CATION  OF  RAILROADS  : 

By  E.  IV.  Beans,  C.  E.  12mo.  (In  press.) 

DLENKARN.— PRACTICAL  SPECIFICATIONS  OF  WORKS  EXE- 
CUTED  IN  ARCHITECTURE,  CIVIL  AND  MECHANICAL 
ENGINEERING,  AND  IN  ROAD  MAKING  AND  SEWER¬ 
ING: 

To  which  are  added  a  scries  of  practically  useful  Agreements 
and  Reports.  By  John  Blenkarn.  Illustrated  by  fifteen 
large  folding  plates.  8vo.  .  .  .  .  .  .?0  00 

DLINN. — A  PRACTICAL  WORKSHOP  COMPANION  FOR  TIN, 
SHEET-IRON,  AND  COPPER-PLATE  WORKERS  : 

Containing  Rules  for  Describing  various  kinds  of  Patterns 
used  by  Tin,  Sheet-iron,  and  Copper-plate  Workers  ;  Practical 
Geometry;  Mensuration  of  Surfaces  and  Solids;  Tables  of  the 
Weight  of  Metals,  Lead  Pipe,  etc.;  Tables  of  Areas  and  Cir¬ 
cumferences  of  Circles;  Japans,  Varnishes,  Lackers,  Cements, 
Compositions,  etc.  etc.  By  Leroy  J.  Blinn,  Master  Me¬ 
chanic.  With  over  One  Hundred  Illustrations.  12mo.  $2  50 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


3 


gOOTH. — MARBLE  WORKER’S  MANUAL  : 

Containing  Practical  Information  respecting  Marbles  in  gene¬ 
ral,  their  Cutting,  Working,  and  Polishing ;  Veneering  of 
Marble;  Mosaics;  Composition  and  Use  of  Artificial  Marble, 
Stuccos,  Cements,  Receipts,  Secrets,  etc.  etc.  Translated 
from  the  French  by  M.  L.  Booth.  With  an  Appendix  con¬ 
cerning  American  Marbles.  12mo.,  cloth  .  .  $1  50 

gOOTH  AND  MORFIT.— THE  ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  CHEMISTRY, 
PRACTICAL  AND  THEORETICAL  : 


Embracing  its  application  to  the  Arts,  Metallurgy,  Mineralogy, 
Geology,  Medicine,  and  Pharmacy.  By  James  C.  Booth, 
Melter  and  Refiner  in  the  United  States  Mint,  Professor  of 
Applied  Chemistry  in  the  Franklin  Institute,  etc.,  assisted  by 
Campbell  Morfit,  author  of  “Chemical  Manipulations,”  etc. 
Seventh  edition.  Complete  in  one  volume,  royal  8vo.,  978 
pages,  with  numerous  wood-cuts  and  other  illustrations.  $5  00 


•DOWDITCH.— ANALYSIS,  TECHNICAL  VALUATION,  PURIFI- 
-0  CATION,  AND  USE  OF  COAL  GAS : 

By  Rev.  W.  R.  Bowditch.  Illustrated  with  wood  engrav¬ 
ings.  8vo . $6  50 


•DOX.— PRACTICAL  HYDRAULICS : 

A  Series  of  Rules  and  Tables  for  the  use  of  Engineers,  etc. 
By  Thomas  Box.  12mo.  .  .  .  .  .  $2  00 

gUCKMASTER.— THE  ELEMENTS  OF  MECHANICAL  PHYSICS  : 

By  J.  C.  Buckmaster,  late  Student  in  the  Government  School 
of  Mines  ;  Certified  Teacher  of  Science  by  the  Department  of 
Science  and  Art;  Examiner  in  Chemistry  and  Physics  in  the 
Royal  College  of  Preceptors ;  and  late  Lecturer  in  Chemistry 
and  Physics  of  the  Royal  Polytechnic  Institute.  Illustrated 
with  numerous  engravings.  In  one  vol.  12mo.  .  $2  00 


gULLOCK.— THE  AMERICAN  COTTAGE  BUILDER : 

A  Series  of  Designs,  Plans,  and  Specifications,  from  $200  to 
to  $20,000  for  Homes  for  the  People ;  together  with  Warm¬ 
ing,  Ventilation,  Drainage,  Painting,  and  Landscape  Garden¬ 
ing.  By  John  Bullock,  Architect,  Civil  Engineer,  Mechani¬ 
cian,  and  Editor  of  “The  Rudiments  of  Architecture  and 
Building,”  etc.  Illustrated  by  75  engravings.  In  one  vol. 
8vo.  . . $3  50 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


P'JLLOCK.  —  THE  RUDIMENTS  OF  ARCHITECTURE  AND 
^  BUILDING: 

For  the  use  of  Architects,  Builders,  Draughtsmen,  Machin¬ 
ists,  Engineers,  and  Mechanics.  Edited  by  John  Bullock, 
author  of  “  The  American  Cottage  Builder.”  Illustrated  by 
250  engravings.  In  one  volume  8vo.  .  .  .  $3  50 

pURGH.— PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  LAND  AND  MA- 
-0  RINE  ENGINES : 

Showing  in  detail  the  Modern  Improvements  of  High  and  Low 
Pressure,  Surface  Condensation,  and  Super-heating,  together 
■with  Land  and  Marine  Boilers.  By  N.  P.  Burgii,  Engineer. 
Illustrated  by  twenty  plates,  double  elephant  folio,  with  text. 

$21  00 

■pURGH. — PRACTICAL  RULE 8  FOR  THE  PROPORTIONS  OF 


RINE  PURPOSES. 

By  N.  P.  Burgii,  Engineer.  12mo.  .  .  .  $2  00 

pURGH.— THE  SLIDE-VALVE  PRACTICALLY  CONSIDERED  : 
By  N.  P.  Burgh,  author  of  “  A  Treatise  on  Sugar  Machinery,” 
“  Practical  Illustrations  of  Land  and  Marine  Engines,”  “  A 
Pocket-Book  of  Practical  Rules  for  Designing  Land  and  Ma¬ 
rine  Engines,  Boilers,”  etc.  etc.  etc.  Completely  illustrated. 
12mo.  .........  $2  00 

DYRN.— THE  COMPLETE  PRACTICAL  BREWER  : 

Or,  Plain,  Accurate,  and  Thorough  Instructions  in  the  Art  of 
Brewing  Beer,  Ale,  Porter,  including  the  Process  of  making 
Bavarian  Beer,  all  the  Small  Beers,  such  as  Root-beer,  Ginger- 
pop,  Sarsaparilla-beer,  Mead,  Spruce  beer,  etc.  etc.  Adapted 
to  the  use  of  Public  Brewers  and  Private  Families.  By  M.  La 
Fayette  Byrn,  M.  D.  With  illustrations.  12mo.  $1  25 

pYRN.— THE  COMPLETE  PRACTICAL  DISTILLER : 

Comprising  the  most  perfect  and  exact  Theoretical  and  Prac¬ 
tical  Description  of  the  Art  of  Distillation  and  Rectification; 
including  all  of  the  most  recent  improvements  in  distilling 
apparatus;  instructions  for  preparing  spirits  from  the  nume¬ 
rous  vegetables,  fruits,  etc.  ;  directions  for  the  distillation  and 
preparation  of  all  kinds  of  brandies  and  other  spirits,  spiritu¬ 
ous  and  other  compounds,  etc.  etc. ;  all  of  which  is  so  simpli¬ 
fied  that  it  is  adapted  not  only  to  the  use  of  extensive  distil¬ 
lers,  but  for  every  farmer,  or  others  who  may  wish  to  engage 
in  the  art  of  distilling.  By  M.  La  Fayette  Bytrn,  M.  D. 
With  numerous  engravings.  In  one  volume,  12mo.  $1  50 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE- 


T)YRNE.— POCKET  BOOK  FOR  RAILROAD  AND  CIVIL  ENGI- 
NEERS : 


Containing  New,  Exact,  and  Concise  Methods  for  Laying  out 
Railroad  Curves,  Switches,  Ffog  Angles  and  Crossings;  the 
Staking  out  of  work;  Levelling;  the  Calculation  of  Cut¬ 
tings  ;  Embankments ;  Earth-work,  etc.  By  Oliver  Byrne. 
Illustrated,  18mo.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $1  25 

■DYRNE.— THE  HANDBOOK  FOR  THE  ARTISAN,  MECHANIC, 


By  Oliver  Byrne.  Illustrated  by  11  large  plates  and  185 
Wood  Engravings.  8vo.  .  .  .  .  .  .  $5  00 

■DYRNE.— THE  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENTS  OF  PRACTICAL  ME- 
■D  CHANICS : 


For  Engineering  Students,  based  on  the  Principle  of  Work. 
By  Oliver  Byrne.  Illustrated  by  Numerous  Wood  Engrav¬ 
ings,  12mo.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $3  03 

■gYRNE.— THE  PRACTICAL  METAL-WORKER’S  ASSISTANT  : 
Comprising  Metallurgic  Chemistry;  the  Arts  of  Working  all 
Metals  and  Alloys ;  Forging  of  Iron  and  Steel ;  Hardening  and 
Tempering;  Melting  and  Mixing;  Casting  and  Founding-; 
Works  in  Sheet  Metal;  the  Processes  Dependent  on  the 
Ductility  of  the  Metals ;  Soldering  ;  and  the  most  Improved 
Processes  and  Tools  employed  by  Metal-Workers.  With  the 
Application  of  the  Art  of  Electro-Metallurgy  to  Manufactu¬ 
ring  Processes ;  collected  from  Original  Sources,  and  from  the 
Works  of  HoltzapfFel,  Bergeron,  Leupold,  Plumier,  Napier,  and 
others.  By  Oliver  Byrne.  A  New,  Revised,  and  improved 
Edition,  with  Additions  by  John  Scoffern,  M.  B  ,  William  Clay, 
Win.  Fairbairn,  F.  R.  S.,  and  James  Napier.  With  Five  Hun¬ 
dred  and  Ninety-two  Engravings ;  Illustrating  every  Branch 
of  the  Subject.  In  one  volume,  8vo.  652  pages  .  $7  00 


jDYRNE. — THE  PRACTICAL  CALCULATOR  : 

For  the  Engineer,  Mechanic,  Manufacturer  of  Engine  Work, 
Naval  Architect,  Miner,  and  Millwright.  By  Oliver  Byrne. 
1  volume,  8vo.,  nearly  600  pages  .  .  .  .  $4  50 


riABINET  MAKER’S  ALBUM  OF  FURNITURE: 

Comprising  a  Collection  of  Designs  for  the  Newest  and  Most 
Elegant  Styles  of  Furniture.  Illustrated  by  Forty  eight  Large 
and  Beautifully  Engraved  Plates.  In  one  volume,  oblong 

$5  00 


6 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


HAL  VERT. — LECTURES  ON  COAL-TAR  COLORS,  AND  ON  RE- 
U  CENT  IMPROVEMENTS  AND  PROGRESS  IN  DYEING  AND 
CALICO  PRINTING: 

Embodying  Copious  Notes  taken  at  the  last  London  Interna¬ 
tional  Exhibition,  and  Illustrated  with  Numerous  Patterns  of 
Aniline  and  other  Colors.  By  F.  Grace  Calvert,  F.  R.  S., 
F.  C.  S.,  Professor  of  Chemistry  at  the  Royal  Institution,  Man¬ 
chester,  Corresponding  Member  of  the  Royal  Academies  of 
Turin  and  Rouen;  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Paris; 
Socidte  Industrielle  de  Mulhouse,  etc.  In  one  volume,  8vo., 
cloth  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  §1  50 


p AMPIN.— A  PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  MECHANICAL  EN- 
U  GINEERING: 

Comprising  Metallurgy,  Moulding,  Casting,  Forging,  Tools, 
Workshop  Machinery,  Mechanical  Manipulation,  Manufacture 
of  Steam-engines,  etc.  etc.  With  an  Appendix  on  the  Ana¬ 
lysis  of  Iron  and  Iron  Ores.  By  Francis  Campin,  C.  E.  To 
which  are  added,  Observations  on  the  Construction  of  Steam 
Boilers,  and  Remarks  upon  Furnaces  used  for  Smoke  Preven¬ 
tion  ;  with  a  Chapter  on  Explosions.  By  R.  Armstrong,  C.  E., 
and  John  Bourne.  Rules  for  Calculating  the  Change  Wheels 
for  Screws  on  a  Turning  Lathe,  and  for  a  Wheel-cutting 
Machine.  By  J.  La  Nicca.  Management  of  Steel,  including 
Forging,  Hardening,  Tempering,  Annealing,  Shrinking,  and 
Expansion.  And  the  Case-hardening  of  Iron.  By  G.  Ede. 
8vo.  Illustrated  with  29  plates  and  100  wood  engravings. 

§6  00 

nAMPIN.— THE  PRACTICE  OF  HAND-TURNING  IN  WOOD, 
^  IVORY,  SHELL,  ETC.: 

With  Instructions  for  Turning  such  works  in  Metal  as  maybe 
required  in  the  Practice  of  Turning  Wood,  Ivory,  etc.  Also, 
an  Appendix  on  Ornamental  Turning.  By  Francis  Campin  ; 
with  Numerous  Illustrations,  12mo.,  cloth  .  .  $3  00 

p  APRON  DE  DOLE.— DUSSAUCE.— BLUES  AND  CARMINES  OF 
^  INDIGO. 

A  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Fabrication  of  every  Commercial 
Product  derived  from  Indigo.  By  Felicien  Capron  de  Dole. 
Translated,  with  important  additions,  by  Professor  H.  Dus- 
sauce.  12mo. .  .  $2  60 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


7 


QAREY.— THE  WORKS  OE  HENRY  C.  CAREY : 

CONTRACTION  OR  EXPANSION?  REPUDIATION  OR  RE¬ 
SUMPTION?  Letters  to  Hon.  Hugh  McCulloch.  8vo.  38 
FINANCIAL  CRISES,  their  Causes  and  Effects.  8vo.  paper 

25 

HARMONY  OF  INTERESTS;  Agricultural,  Manufacturing, 

and  Commercial.  8vo.,  paper . $1  00 

Do.  do.  cloth  .  .  .  SI  50 

LETTERS  TO  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Paper  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  75 

MANUAL  OF  SOCIAL  SCIENCE.  Condensed  from  Carey’s 
“Principles  of  Social  Science.”  By  Kate  McKean.  1  vol. 

12mo . $2  25 

MISCELLANEOUS  WORKS:  comprising  “Harmony  of  Inter¬ 
ests,”  “Money,”  “Letters  to  the  President,”  “French  and 
American  Tariffs,”  “Financial  Crises,”  “The  Way  to  Outdo 
England  without  Fighting  Her,”  “Resources  of  the  Union,” 
“The  Public  Debt,”  “Contraction  or  Expansion,”  “Review 
of  the  Decade  1857 — ’G7,”  “Reconstruction,”  etc.  etc.  1  vol. 

8vo.,  cloth . $4  50 

MONEY:  A  LECTURE  before  the  N.  Y.  Geographical  and  Sta¬ 
tistical  Society.  8vo.,  paper  .....  25 

PAST,  PRESENT,  AND  FUTURE.  8vo.  .  .  .  $2  50 

PRINCIPLES  OF  SOCIAL  SCIENCE.  3  volumes  8vo.,  cloth 

$10  00 

REVIEW  OF  THE  DECADE  1857— ’67.  8vo.,  paper  38 
RECONSTRUCTION:  INDUSTRIAL,  FINANCIAL,  AND  PO¬ 
LITICAL.  Letters  to  the  Hon.  Henry  Wilson,  U.  S.  S.  8vo. 

paper .  .  38 

THE  PUBLIC  DEBT,  LOCAL  AND  NATIONAL.  How  to 
provide  for  its  discharge  while  lessening  the  burden  of  Taxa¬ 
tion.  Letter  to  David  A.  Wells,  Esq.,  U.  S.  Revenue  Commis¬ 
sion.  8vo.,  paper . .  25 

THE  RESOURCES  OF  THE  UNION.  A  Lecture  read,  Dec. 
1865,  before  the  American  Geographical  and  Statistical  So¬ 
ciety,  N.  Y.,  and  before  the  American  Association  for  the  Ad¬ 
vancement  of  Social  Science,  Boston  ...  25 

THE  SLAVE  TRADE,  DOMESTIC  AND  FOREIGN;  Why  it 
Exists,  and  How  it  may  be  Extinguished.  12mo.,  cloth  $150 


8 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


TIIE  WAY  TO  OUTDO  ENGLAND  WITHOUT  FIGHTING 
HER.  Letters  to  the  Hon.  Schuyler  Colfax,  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  United  States,  on  “The  Paper  Ques¬ 
tion,”  “The  Farmer’s  Question,”  “The  Iron  Question,”  “The 
Railroad  Question,”  and  “The  Currency  Question.”  8vo., 
Paper . 75 

QHEVALIER.— THE  PHOTOGRAPHIC  STUDENT. 

A  Complete  Treatise  on  the  Theory  and  Practice  of  Photo¬ 
graphy.  Translated  from  the  French  of  A.  Chevalier.  Il¬ 
lustrated  by  numerous  engravings.  (In  press.) 

QLOUGH.— THE  CONTRACTOR'S  MANUAL  AND  BUILDER’S 
PRICE-BOOK  : 

Designed  to  elucidate  the  method  of  ascertaining,  correctly, 
the  value  and  Quantity  of  every  description  of  Work  and  Ma¬ 
terials  used  in  the  Art  of  Building,  from  their  Prime  Cost  in 
any  part  of  the  United  States,  collected  from  extensive  expe¬ 
rience  and  observation  in  Building  and  Designing;  to  which 
are  added  a  large  variety  of  Tables,  Memoranda,  etc.,  indis¬ 
pensable  to  all  engaged  or  concerned  in  erecting  buildings  of 
any  kind.  By  A.  B.  Clough,  Architect,  24mo.,  cloth  75 
QOLBURN.— THE  GAS-WORKS  OF  LONDON: 

Comprising  a  sketch  of  the  Gas-works  of  the  city,  Process  of 
Manufacture,  Quantity  Produced,  Cost,  Profit,  etc.  By  Zerah 
Colburn.  8vo.,  cloth . 75 

Q9LBURN.— THE  LOCOMOTIVE  ENGINE: 

Including  a  Description  of  its  Structure,  Rules  for  Estimat- 
ing  its  Capabilities,  and  Practical  Observations  on  its  Construc¬ 
tion  and  Management.  By  Zerah  Colburn.  Illustrated.  A 
new  edition.  12mo.  .  .  .  .  .  .  $1  25 

QOLBURN  AND  MAW.— THE  WATER- WORKS  OF  LONDON: 

Together  with  a  Series  of  Articles  on  various  other  Water¬ 
works.  By  Zerah  Colburn  and  W.  Maw.  Reprinted  from 
“Engineering.”  In  one  volume,  8vo.  .  .  $4  00 

JJiGUERREOTYPIST  AND  PHOTOGRAPHER’S  COMPANION: 

12mo.,  cloth . ^1.  25 

TVWIS. — A  TREATISE  ON  HARNESS,  SADDLES,  AND  BRI- 
^  DLES : 

Their  History  and  Manufacture  from  the  Earliest  Times  down 
to  the  Present  Period.  By  A.  Davis,  Practical  Saddler  and 
Harness  Maker.  (In  press.) 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


9 


■HESSOYE.— STEEL,  ITS  MANUFACTURE,  PROPERTIES,  AND 
U  USE . 


By  J.  B.  J.  Dessoye,  Manufacturer  of  Steel ;  with  an  Intro¬ 
duction  and  Notes  by  Ed.  Graten,  Engineer  of  Mines. 
Translated  from  the  French.  In  one  volume,  12mo.  (In  press.) 
|IRCKS— PERPETUAL  MOTION : 

Or  Search  for  Self-Motive  Power  during  the  17th,  18th,  and 
19th  centuries.  Illustrated  from  various  authentic  sources  in 
Papers,  Essays,  Letters,  Paragraphs,  and  numerous  Patent 
Specifications,  with  an  Introductory  Essay  by  Henry  Dircks, 
C.  E.  Illustrated  by  numerous  engravings  of  machines. 
12mo.,  cloth  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $3  50 

iIXON.— THE  PRACTICAL  MILLWRIGHT’S  AND  ENGINEER’S 
GUIDE : 


Or  Tables  for  Finding  the  Diameter  and  Power  of  Cogwheels  ; 
Diameter,  Weight,  and  Power  of  Shafts  ;  Diameter  and  Strength 
of  Bolts,  etc.  etc.  By  Thomas  Dixon.  12mo.,  cloth.  $1  60 
jyJNCAN. — PRACTICAL  SURVEYOR’S  GUIDE: 

Containing  the  necessary  information  to  make  any  person,  of 
common  capacity,  a  finished  land  surveyor  without  the  aid  of 
a  teacher.  By  Andrew  Duncan.  Illustrated.  12mo.,  cloth. 

$1  25 

TYUSSAUCE. — A  NEW  AND  COMPLETE  TREATISE  ON  THE 
^  ARTS  OF  TANNING,  CURRYING,  AND  LEATHER  DRESS¬ 
ING  : 

Comprising  all  the  Discoveries  and  Improvements  made  in 
France,  Great  Britain,  and  the  United  States.  Edited  from 
Notes  and  Documents  of  Messrs.  Sallerou,  Grouvelle,  Duval, 
Dessables,  Labarraque,  Payen,  Rend,  De  Fontenelle,  Mala- 
peyre,  etc.  etc.  By  Prof.  H.  Dussauce,  Chemist.  Illustrated 
by  212  wood  engravings.  8vo . $10  00 

•nUSSAUCE.— A  GENERAL  TREATISE  ON  THE  MANUFACTURE 
^  OF  EVERY  DESCRIPTION  OF  SOAP : 


Comprising  the  Chemistry  of  the  Art,  with  Remarks  on  Alka¬ 
lies,  Saponifiable  Fatty  Bodies,  the  apparatus  necessary  in  a 
Soap  Factory,  Practical  Instructions  on  the  manufacture  of 
the  various  kinds  of  Soap,  the  assay  of  Soaps,  etc.  etc.  Edited 
from  notes  of  Larme,  Fontenelle,  Malapeyre,  Dufour,  and 
others,  with  large  and  important  additions  by  Professor  H. 
Dussauce,  Chemist.  Illustrated.  In  one  volume,  8vo.  (In. 
press.) 


10 


IIENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


JJUSSATJCE.—  A  PRACTICAL  GUIDE  FOR  THE  PERFUMER: 

Being  a  New  Treatise  on  Perfumery  the  most  favorable  to  the 
Beauty  without  being  injurious  to  the  Health,  comprising  a 
Description  of  the  substances  used  in  Perfumery,  the  Form¬ 
ula  of  more  than  one  thousand  Preparations,  such  as  Cosme¬ 
tics,  Perfumed  Oils,  Tooth  Powders,  Waters,  Extracts,  Tinc¬ 
tures,  Infusions,  Vinaigres,  Essential  Oils,  Pastels,  Creams, 
Soaps,  and  many  new  Hygienic  Products  not  hitherto  described. 
Edited  from  Notes  and  Documents  of  Messrs.  Debay,  Lunel, 
etc.  With  additions  by  Professor  H.  Dussauce,  Chemist.  (In 
press,  shortly  to  be  issued.) 

TJUSSAUCE.— PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  THE  FABRICATION 
^  OF  MATCHES,  GUN  COTTON,  AND  FULMINATING  POW¬ 


DERS. 

By  Professor  H.  Dussauce.  12mo. 


$3  00 


LAUSSAU CE. — TREATISE  ON  THE  COLORING  MATTERS  DE- 
U  RIVED  FROM  COAL  TAR  : 

Their  Practical  Application  in  Dyeing  Cotton,  Wool,  and  Silk; 
the  Principles  of  the  Art  of  Dyeing  and  of  the  Distillation  of 
Coal  Tar,  with  a  Description  of  the  most  Important  New  Dyes 
now  in  use.  By  Prof.  II.  Dussauce.  12mo.  .  $3  00 

LAYER  AND  COLOR-MAKER’S  COMPANION  : 

Containing  upwards  of  two  hundred  Receipts  for  making  Co¬ 
lors,  on  the  most  approved  principles,  for  all  the  various  styles 
and  fabrics  now  in  existence;  with  the  Scouring  Process,  and 
plain  Directions  for  Preparing,  Washing-off,  and  Finishing  the 
Goods.  In  one  vol.  12mo.  .  .  .  .  .  $1  25 

■pASTON.— A  PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  STREET  OR  HORSE- 
-k  POWER  RAILWAYS ; 

Their  Location,  Construction,  and  Management;  with  General 
Plans  and  Rules  for  their  Organization  and  Operation ;  toge¬ 
ther  with  Examinations  as  to  their  Comparative  Advantages 
over  the  Omnibus  System,  and  Inquiries  as  to  their  Value  for 
Investment ;  including  Copies  of  Municipal  Ordinances  relat¬ 
ing  thereto.  By  Alexander  Easton,  C.  E.  Illustrated  by  23 

plates,  8vo.,  cloth . $2  00 

PRNI.— COAL  OIL  AND  PETROLEUM : 

Their  Origin,  History,  Geology,  and  Chemistry;  with  a  view  of 
their  importance  in  their  bearing  on  National  Industry.  By 
Dr.  Henri  Erni,  Chief  Chemist,  Department  of  Agriculture. 
12mo.  .........  $2  50 


IIENRY  CAREY  BAIRD'S  CATALOGUE. 


II 


■pRNI.— 1 THE  THEORETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL  CHEMISTRY  OF 
n  FERMENTATION : 

Comprising  the  Chemistry  of  Wine,  Beer,  Distilling  of  Liquors; 
■with,  the  Practical  Methods  of  their  Chemical  Examination, 
Preservation,  and  Improvement — such  as  Gallizing  of  Wines. 
With  an  Appendix,  containing  well-tested  Practical  Rules  and 
Receipts  for  the  manufacture,  etc.,  of  all  kinds  of  Alcoholic 
Liquors.  By  Henry  Erni,  Chief  Chemist,  Department  of 
Agriculture.  (In  press.) 

pAIRBAIRN. — THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  MECHANISM  AND  MA- 
X  CHINERY  OF  TRANSMISSION: 

Comprising  the  Principles  of  Mechanism,  Wheels,  and  Pulleys, 
Strength  and  Proportions  of  Shafts,  Couplings  of  Shafts,  and 
Engaging  and  Disengaging  Gear.  By  William  Fairbairn, 
Esq.,  C.  E.,  LL.  D.,  F.  R.  S.,  F.  G.  S.,  Corresponding  Member 
of  the  National  Institute  of  France,  and  of  the  Royal  Academy 
of  Turin;  Chevalier  of  the  Legion  of  Honor,  etc.  etc.  Beau¬ 
tifully  illustrated  by  over  150  wood-cuts.  In  one  volume  12mo. 

$2  50 

pAIRBAIRN.— PRIME-MOVERS  : 

Comprising  the  Accumulation  of  Water-power ;  the  Construc¬ 
tion  of  Water-wheels  and  Turbines;  the  Properties  of  Steam; 

.  the  Varieties  of  Steam-engines  and  Boilers  and  Wind-mills. 
By  William  Fairbairn,  C.  E  ,  LL.  D.,  F.  R.  S.,  F.  G.  S.  Au¬ 
thor  of  “Principles  of  Mechanism  and  the  Machinery  of  Trans¬ 
mission.”  With  Numerous  Illustrations.  In  one  volume.  (In 
press.) 

■pLAMM— A  PRACTICAL  GUIDE  TO  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF 


GASEOUS  FUELS: 

With  the  Application  of  Concentrated  Heat,  and  on  Waste 
Heat,  for  the  Use  of  Engineers,  Architects,  Stove  and  Furnace 
Makers,  Manufacturers  of  Fire  Brick,  Zinc,  Porcelain,  Glass, 
Earthenware,  Steel,  Chemical  Products,  Sugar  Refiners,  Me¬ 
tallurgists,  and  all  others  employing  Heat.  By  M.  Pierre 
Flamm,  Manufacturer.  Illustrated.  Translated  from  the 
French.  One  volume,  12mo.  (In  press.) 

niLBART.— A  PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  BANKING: 

By  James  William  Gilbart.  To  which  is  added:  The  Na¬ 


tional  Bank  Act  as  now  (18GS)  in  force.  8vo. 


$4  50 


12 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD'S  CATALOGUE. 


QOTHIC  ALBUM  FOR  CABINET  MAKERS: 

Comprising  a  Collection  of  Designs  for  Gothic  Furniture.  Il¬ 
lustrated  by  twenty-three  large  and  beautifully  engraved 
plates.  Oblong . $3  00 

p  RANT.— BEET-ROOT  SUGAR  AND  CULTIVATION  OF  THE 
U  BEET : 

. 25 


By  E.  B.  Grant.  12mo. 


QREGORY.— MATHEMATICS  FOR  PRACTICAL  MEN  : 

Adapted  to  the  Pursuits  of  Surveyors,  Architects,  Mechanics, 
and  Civil  Engineers, 
cloth 


By  Olinthus  Gregory.  8vo.,  plates, 
. $3  00 


QRISWOLD.— RAILROAD  ENGINEER’S  POCKET  COMPANION. 

Comprising  Rules  for  Calculating  Deflection  Distances  and 
Angles,  Tangential  Distances  and  Angles,  and  all  Necessary 
Tables  for  Engineers;  also  the  art  of  Levelling  from  Prelimi¬ 
nary  Survey  to  the  Construction  of  Railroads,  intended  Ex¬ 
pressly  for  the  Young  Engineer,  together  with  Numerous  Valu¬ 
able  Rules  and  Examples.  By  !Y.  Griswold.  12mo.,  tucks. 

$1  25 

nUETTIER—  METALLIC  ALLOYS'. 

Being  a  Practical  Guide  to  their  Chemical  and  Physical  Pro¬ 
perties,  their  Preparation,  Composition,  and  Uses.  Translated 
from  the  French  of  A.  Guettier,  Engineer  and  Director  of 
Founderies,  author  of  “  La  Fouderie  en  France,”  etc.  etc.  By 
A.  A.  Fesquet,  Chemist  and  Engineer.  In  one  volume,  12mo. 
(In  press,  shortly  to  be  published.) 

IT  ATS  AND  FELTING  : 

A  Practical  Treatise  on  their  Manufacture.  By  a  Practical 
Hatter.  Illustrated  by  Drawings  of  Machinery,  &c.,  8vo. 

IT  AY.— THE  INTERIOR  DECORATOR  : 

The  Laws  of  Harmonious  Coloring  adapted  to  Interior  Decora¬ 
tions:  with  a  Practical  Treatise  on  House-Painting.  By  D. 
R.  Hay,  House-Painter  and  Decorator.  Illustrated  by  a  Dia¬ 
gram  of  the  Primary,  Secondary,  and  Tertiary  Colors.  12mo. 

S2  25 

TTUGHES.— AMERICAN  MILLER  AND  MILLWRIGHT’S  AS- 
SISTANT : 

By  Wm.  Carter  Hughes.  A  new  edition.  In  one  volume, 
12mo .  ....  ?1  50 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


13 


JJUNT.— THE  PRACTICE  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

By  Robert  Hunt,  Vice-President  of  the  Photographic  Society, 
London,  with  numerous  illustrations.  12mo.,  cloth  .  75 

JJURST. — A  HAND-BOOK  FOR  ARCHITECTURAL  SURVEYORS  : 

Comprising  Formulae  useful  in  Designing  Builder’s  work,  Table 
of  Weights,  of  the  materials  used  in  Building,  Memoranda 
connected  with  Builders’  work,  Mensuration,  the  Practice  of 
Builders’  Measurement,  Contracts  of  Labor,  Valuation  of  Pro¬ 
perty,  Summary  of  the  Practice  in  Dilapidation,  etc.  etc.  By 
J.  F.  Hurst,  C.  E.  2d  edition,  pocket-book  form,  full  bound 

$2  50 

JERVIS.— RAILWAY  PROPERTY: 

A  Treatise  on  the  Construction  and  Management  of  Railways  ; 
designed  to  afford  useful  knowledge,  in  the  popular  style,  to  the 
holders  of  this  class  of  property;  as  well  as  Railway  Mana¬ 
gers,  Officers,  and  Agents.  By  John  B.  Jervis,  late  Chief 
Engineer  of  the  Hudson  River  Railroad,  Croton  Aqueduct,  &c. 
One  vol.  12mo.,  cloth  .  .  .  .  .  .  $2  00 

JOHNSON.— A  REPORT  TO  THE  NAVY  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE 
U  UNITED  STATES  ON  AMERICAN  COALS  : 

Applicable  to  Steam  Navigation  and  to  other  purposes.  By 
Walter  R.  Johnson.  With  numerous  illustrations.  007  pp. 

8 vo.,  half  morocco . $6  00 

JOHNSON— THE  COAL  TRADE  OF  BRITISH  AMERICA : 

With  Researches  on  the  Characters  and  Practical  Values  of 
American  and  Foreign  Coals.  By  Walter  R.  Johnson,  Civil 
and  Mining  Engineer  and  Chemist.  8vo.  .  .  .  $2  00 

JOHNSTON.— INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  THE  ANALYSIS  OF  SOILS, 
J  LIMESTONES,  AND  MANURES. 

By  J.  W.  F.  Johnston.  12mo.  ....  38 

TT'EENE. — A  HAND-BOOK  OF  PRACTICAL  GAUGING, 

For  the  Use  of  Beginners,  to  which  is  added  A  Chapter  on  Dis¬ 
tillation,  describing  the  process  in  operation  at  the  Custom 
House  for  ascertaining  the  strength  of  wines.  By  James  B. 
Keene,  of  H.  M.  Customs.  8vo.  .  .  .  .  $1  25 

T7"ENTISH. — A  TREATISE  ON  A  BOX  OF  INSTRUMENTS, 

And  the  Slide  Rule  ;  with  the  Theory  of  Trigonometry  and  Lo¬ 
garithms,  including  Practical  Geometry,  Surveying,  Measur¬ 
ing  of  Timber,  Cask  and  Malt  Gauging,  Heights,  and  Distances. 
By  Thomas  Kentish.  In  one  volume.  12mo.  .  $1  25 


14 


HENRY  CAREY"  BAIRD'S  CATALOGUE. 


J^OBELL. — ERNI. — MINERALOGY  SIMPLIFIED  : 

A  short  method  of  Determining  and  Classifying  Minerals,  by 
means  of  simple  Chemical  Experiments  in  the  Wet  Way. 
Translated  from  the  last  German  Edition  of  F.  Yon  Kobell, 
with  an  Introduction  to  Blowpipe  Analysis  and  other  addi¬ 
tions.  By  Henri  Erni,  M.  D.,  Chief  Chemist,  Department  of 
Agriculture,  author"  of  “  Coal  Oil  and  Petroleum.”  In  one 
volume,  12mo.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $2  50 


T  AFFINEUR. — A  PRACTICAL  GUIDE  TO  HYDRAULICS  FOR 
TOWN  AND  COUNTRY; 


Or  a  Complete  Treatise  on  the  Building  of  Conduits  for  Water 
for  Cities,  Towns,  Farms,  Country  Residences,  Workshops,  etc. 
Comprising  the  means  necessary  for  obtaining  at  all  times 
abundant  supplies  of  Drinkable  Water.  Translated  from 
the  French  of  M.  Jules  Laffineur,  C.  E.  Illustrated.  (In 
press.) 


T  AFFINEUR.— A  TREATISE  ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WA- 
^  TER- WHEELS  : 


Containing  the  various  Systems  in  use  with  Practical  Informa¬ 
tion  on  the  Dimensions  necessary  for  Shafts,  Journals,  Arms, 
etc.,  of  Water-wheels,  etc.  etc.  Translated  from  the  French 
of  M.  Jules  Laffineur,  C.  E.  Illustrated  by  numerous 
plates.  (In  press.) 


J^ANDRIN. — A  TREATISE  ON  STEEL: 

Comprising  the  Theory,  Metallurgy,  Practical  Working,  Pro¬ 
perties,  and  Use.  Translated  from  the  French  of  H.  C.  Lan- 
drin,  Jr.,  C.  E.  By  A.  A.  Fesquet,  Chemist  and  Engineer. 
Illustrated.  12mo.  (In  press.) 


T  ARKIN.— THE  PRACTICAL  BRASS  AND  IRON  FOUNDER'S 
GUIDE : 

A  Concise  Treatise  on  Brass  Founding,  Moulding,  the  Metals 
and  their  Alloys,  etc. ;  to  which  are  added  Recent  Improve¬ 
ments  in  the  Manufacture  of  Iron,  Steel  by  the  Bessemer  Pro¬ 
cess,  etc.  etc.  By  James  Larkin,  late  Conductor  of  the  Brass 
Foundry  Department  in  Reany,  Neafie  &  Co.’s  Penn  Works, 
Philadelphia.  Fifth  edition,  revised,  with  Extensive  addi¬ 
tions.  In  one  volume,  12mo . $2  25 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


15 


EAVITT. — FACTS  ABOUT  PEAT  AS  AN  ARTICLE  OF  FUEL: 

With  Remarks  upon  its  Origin  and  Composition,  the  Localities 
in  which  it  is  found,  the  Methods  of  Preparation  and  Manu¬ 
facture,  and  the  various  Uses  to  which  it  is  applicable;  toge¬ 
ther  with  many  other  matters  of  Practical  and  Scientific  Inte¬ 
rest.  To  which  is  added  a  chapter  on  the  Utilization  of  Coal 
Dust  with  Peat  for  the  Production  of  an  Excellent  Fuel  at 
Moderate  Cost,  especially  adapted  for  Steam  Service.  By  II. 
T.  Leavitt.  Third  edition.  12mo.  .  .  .  5>1  75 


T  EROUX. — A  PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  WOOLS  AND  WOR- 


U 


SPED 5 : 

Translated  from  the  French  of  Charles  Leroux,  Mechanical 
Engineer,  and  Superintendent  of  a  Spinning  Mill.  Illustrated 
by  12  large  plates  and  34  engravings.  In  one  volume  8vo. 
(In  press,  shortly  to  be  published.) 

COMPLETE  COOKERY  : 

By  Miss 

Leslie.  58th  thousand.  Thoroughly  revised,  with  the  addi¬ 
tion  of  New  Receipts.  In  1  vol.  12mo.,  cloth  .  .  $1  25 


J'ESLIE  (MISS), 

Directions  for  Cookery  in  its  Various  Branches. 


TESLIE  (MISS).  LADIES’  HOUSE  BOOK: 

a  Manual  of  Domestic  Economy.  20th  revised  edition.  12mo., 
cloth  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $1  25 

TESLIE  (MISS).— TWO  HUNDRED  RECEIPTS  IN  FRENCH 
1-1  COOKERY. 

12mo . 50 


"J^IEBER. — ASSAYER’S  GUIDE  : 

Or,  Practical  Directions  to  Assayers,  Miners,  and  Smelters,  for 
the  Tests  and  Assays,  by  Heat  and  by  Wet  Processes,  for  the 
Ores  of  all  the  principal  Metals,  of  Gold  and  Silver  Coins  and 
Alloys,  and  of  Coal,  etc.  By  Oscar  M.  Lieber.  12mo.,  cloth 


$1  25 

T  OVE. — THE  ART  OF  DYEING,  CLEANING,  SCOURING,  AND 
FINISHING : 

On  the  most  approved  English  and  French  methods;  being 
Practical  Instructions  in  Dyeing  Silks,  Woollens,  and  Cottons, 
Feathers,  Chips,  Straw,  etc.;  Scouring  and  Cleaning  Bed  and 
Window  Curtains,  Carpets,  Rugs,  etc.;  French  and  English 
Cleaning,  any  Color  or  Fabric  of  Silk,  Satin,  or  Damask.  By 
Thomas  Love,  a  Working  Dyer  and  Scourer.  In  1  vol.  12mo. 

$3  00 


1 6 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


M 


UN  AND  BROWN.— 'JDESTIONS  ON  SUBJECTS  CONNECTED 
WITH  THE  MARINE  STEAM-ENGINE: 


And  Examination  Papers  ;  with  Hints  for  their  Solution.  By 
Thomas  J.  Main,  Professor  of  Mathematics,  Royal  Naval  Col¬ 
lege,  and  Thomas  Brown,  Chief  Engineer,  R.  N.  12mo.,  cloth 

$1  50 

TUT  AIN  AND  BROWN  —THE  INDICATOR  AND  DYNAMOMETER; 

With  their  Practical  Applications  to  the  Steam-Engine.  By 
Thomas  J.  Main,  M.  A.  F.  R.,  Ass’t  Prof.  Royal  Naval  College, 
Portsmouth,  and  Thomas  Brown,  Assoc.  Inst.  C.  E.,  Chief  En¬ 
gineer,  R.  N.,  attached  to  the  R.  N.  College.  Illustrated. 
From  the  Fourth  London  Edition.  8vo.  .  .  .  $1  50 


AIN  AND  BROWN.— THE  MARINE  STEAM-ENGINE. 

By  Thomas  J.  Main,  F.  R.  Ass’t  S.  Mathematical  Professor  at 
Royal  Naval  College,  and  Thomas  Brown,  Assoc.  Inst.  C.  E. 
Chief  Engineer,  R.  N.  Attached  to  the  Royal  Naval  College. 
Authors  of  “Questions  connected  with  the  Marine  Steam-En¬ 
gine,”  and  the  “Indicator  and  Dynamometer.”  With  nume¬ 
rous  Illustrations.  In  one  volume,  8vo.  .  .  .  $5  00 


l\/r AKINS—  A  MANUAL  OF  METALLURGY: 

More  particularly  of  the  Precious  Metals:  including  the  Meth¬ 
ods  of  Assaying  them.  Illustrated  by  upwards  of  50  Engrav¬ 
ings.  By  George  Hogarth  Makins,  M.  It.  C.  S.,  F.  C.  S.,  one 
of  the  Assayers  to  the  Bank  of  England,  Assayer  to  the  Anglo- 
Mexican  Mints,  and  Lecturer  upon  Metallurgy  at  the  Dental 
Hospital,  London.  In  one  volume,  12mo.  .  .  §3  50 

lyTARTIN— SCREW-CUTTING  TABLES,  FOR  THE  USE  OF  ME- 
1Vi  CHANICAL  ENGINEERS : 


Showing  the  Proper  Arrangement  of  Wheels  for  Cutting  the 
Threads  of  Screws  of  any  required  Pitch ;  with  a  Table  for 
Making  the  Universal  Gas-Pipe  Thread  and  Taps.  By  W.  A. 
Martin,  Engineer.  8vo.  .....  50 

-jWj-ILES.— A  PLAIN  TREATISE  ON  HORSE-SHOEING. 

"L’"L  With  illustrations.  By  William  Miles,  author  of  “The 

Horse’s  Foot,” . $1  00 

fypLESWORTH.  POCKET-BOOK  OF  USEFUL  FORMULIE  AND 
"-*■  MEMORANDA  FOR  CIVIL  AND  MECHANICAL  ENGI¬ 
NEERS. 

By  Guilford  L.  Molesworth,  Member  of  the  Institution  of 
Civil  Engineers,  Chief  Resident  Engineer  of  the  Ceylon  Rail¬ 
way.  Second  American,  from  the  Tenth  London  Edition.  In 
one  volume,  full  bound  in  pocket-book  form  .  $2  00 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


17 


■jUTOORE. — THE  INVENTOR’S  GUIDE: 

Patent  Office  and  Patent  Laws ;  or,  a  Guide  to  Inventors,  and 
a  Book  of  Reference  for  Judges,  Lawyers,  Magistrates,  and 
others.  By  J.  G.  Moore.  12mo.,  cloth  .  .  $1  25 

TyrJREAU.— PRACTICAL  GUIDE  FOR  THE  JEWELLER, 

In  the  Application  of  Harmony  of  Colors  in  the  Arrangement 
of  Precious  Stones,  Gold,  etc.,  from  the  French  of  M.  L.  Mo¬ 
reau,  Jeweller  and  Designer.  Illustrated.  (In  press.) 
J^IPIER.— CHEMISTRY  APPLIED  TO  DYEING. 

By  James  Napier,  F.  C.  S.  A  new  and  revised  edition, 
brought  down  to  the  present  condition  of  the  Art.  Illustrated. 
(In  press.) 

fiTAPIER.— A  MANUAL  OF  DYEING  RECEIPTS  FOR  GENERAL 
USE. 

By  James  Napier,  F.  C  S.  With  Numerous  Patterns  of  Dyed 
Cloth  and  Silk.  Second  edition,  revised  and  enlarged.  12mo. 

$3  75 

J^APIER. — MANUAL  OF  ELECTRO-METALLURGY  : 

.Including  the  Application  of  the  Art  to  Manufacturing  Pro¬ 
cesses.  By  James  Napier.  Fourth  American,  from  the 
Fourth  London  edition,  revised  and  enlarged.  Illustrated  by 
engravings.  In  one  volume,  8vo.  .  ,  .  .  .  $2  00 

■NTEWBERY.  —  GLEANINGS  FROM  ORNAMENTAL  ART  OF 
EVERY  STYLE; 

Drawn  from  Examples  in  the  British,  South  Kensington,  In¬ 
dian,  Crystal  Palace,  and  other  Museums,  the  Exhibitions  of 
1851  and  1862,  and  the  best  English  and  Foreign  works.  In 
a  series  of  one  hundred  exquisitely  drawn  Plates,  containing 
many  hundred,  examples.  By  Robert  Newbery.  4to.  $15  00 

JJTCHOLSON.— A  MANUAL  OF  THE  ART  OF  BOOK-BINDING: 

Containing  full  instructions  in  the  different  Branches  of  For¬ 
warding,  Gilding,  and  Finishing.  Also,  the  Art  of  Marbling 
Book-edges  and  Paper.  By  James  B.  Nicholson.  Illus¬ 
trated.  12mo.,  cloth  .  .  .  .  .  .  $2  25 

ATORRIS,— -A  HAND-BOOK  FOR  LOCOMOTIVE  ENGINEERS  AND 


Comprising  the  Proportions  and  Calculations  for  Constructing 
Locomotives;  Manner  of  Setting  Valves  ;  Tables  of  Squares, 
Cubes,  Areas,  etc.  etc.  By  Septimus  Norris,  Civil  and  Me¬ 
chanical  Engineer.  New  edition.  Illustrated,  12mo.,  cloth 

$2  00 


18 


IIENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


TVTYSTROM.  —  ON  TECHNOLOGICAL  EDUCATION  AND  THE 
CONSTRUCTION  OF  SHIPS  AND  SCREW  PROPELLERS  : 

For  Naval  and  Marine  Engineers.  By  John  W.  Ntstrom,  late 
Acting  Chief  Engineer  U.  S.  N.  Second  edition,  revised  with, 
additional  matter.  Illustrated  by  seven  engravings.  12mo. 

$2  50 

A’NEILL.— CHEMISTRY  OF  CALICO  PRINTING,  DYEING,  AND 
U  BLEACHING : 

Including  Silken,  Woollen,  and  Mixed  Goods;  Practical  and 
Theoretical.  By  Charles  O’Neill.  (In  press.) 

rj’NEILL— A  DICTIONARY  OF  CALICO  PRINTING  AND  DYE- 
U  ING: 

Containing  a  Brief  Account  of  all  the  Substances  and  Processes 
in  Use  in  the  Arts  of  Printing  and  Dyeing  Textile  Fabrics;  with 
Practical  Receipts  and  Scientific  Information.  By  Charles 
O’Neill,  Analytical  Chemist,  Fellow  of  the  Chemical  Society 
of  London,  etc.  etc.  Author  of  “  Chemistry  of  Calico  Print¬ 
ing  and  Dyeing.”  8vo.  (In  press.) 

OVERMAN— OSBORN.— THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  IRON  IN  ALL 
U  ITS  BRANCHES: 

Including  a  Practical  Description  of  the  various  Fuels  and 
their  Values,  the  Nature,  Determination  and  Preparation  of 
the  Ore,  the  Erection  and  Management  of  Blast  and  other  Fur¬ 
naces,  the  characteristic  results  of  Working  by  Charcoal, 
Coke,  or  Anthracite,  the  Conversion  of  the  Crude  into  the  va¬ 
rious  kinds  of  Wrought  Iron,  and  the  Methods  adapted  to  this 
end.  Also,  a  Description  of  Forge  Hammers,  Rolling  Mills, 
Blast  Engines,  & c.  &c.  To  which  is  added  an  Essay  on  the 
Manufacture  of  Steel.  By  Frederick  Overman,  Mining  En¬ 
gineer.  The  whole  thoroughly  revised  and  enlarged,  adapted 
to  the  latest  Improvements  and  Discoveries,  and  the  particular 
type  of  American  Methods  of  Manufacture.  With  various 
new  engravings  illustrating  the  whole  subject.  By  II.  S.  Os¬ 
born,  LL.  D.  Professor  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  in  Lafay¬ 
ette  College.  In  one  volume,  8vo.  (In  press.)  .  $10  00 
POINTER,  GILDER,  AND  VARNISHER’S  COMPANION: 

Containing  Rules  and  Regulations  in  everything  relating  to 
the  Arts  of  Painting,  Gilding,  Varnishing,  and  Glass  Staining, 
with  numerous  useful  and  valuable  Receipts;  Tests  for  the 
Detection  of  Adulterations  in  Oils  and  Colors,  and  a  statement 
of  the  Diseases  and  Accidents  to  which  Painters,  Gilders,  and 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


19 


Varnishers  are  particularly  liable,  with  the  simplest  methods 
of  Prevention  and  Remedy.  With  Directions  for  Graining. 
Marbling,  Sign  Writing,  and  Gilding  on  Glass.  To  which  are 
added  Complete  Instructions  for  Coach  Paintino  and  Var¬ 
nishing.  12mo.,  cloth  .  .  ■  .  .  .  $1  50 


ALLETT. — THE  MILLER’S,  MILLWRIGHT’S,  AND  ENGI¬ 
NEER’S  GUIDE. 

By  Henry  Pallett.  Illustrated.  In  one  vol.  12mo.  $3  00 


pERKINS.— GAS  AND  VENTILATION. 

Practical  Treatise  on  Gas  and  Ventilation.  With  Special  Re¬ 
lation  to  Illuminating,  Heating,  and  Cooking  by  Gas.  Includ¬ 
ing  Scientific  Helps  to  Engineer-students  and  others.  With 
illustrated  Diagrams.  By  E.  E.  Perkins.  12mo.,  cloth  $1  25 

pERKINS  AND  STOWE.—A  NEW  GUIDE  TO  THE  SHEET- 
r  IRON  AND  BOILER  PLATE  ROLLER  : 


Containing  a  Series  of  Tables  showing  the  Weight  of  Slabs  and 
Piles  to  Produce  Boiler  Plates,  and  of  the  Weight  of  Piles  and 
the  Sizes  of  Bars  to  produce  Sheet-iron;  the  Thickness  of  the 
Bar  Gauge  in  Decimals  ;  the  Weight  per  foot,  and  the  Thick¬ 
ness  on  the  Bar  or  Wire  Gauge  of  the  fractional  parts  of  an 
inch;  the  Weight  per  sheet,  and  the  Thickness  on  the  Wire 
Gauge  of  Sheet-iron  of  various  dimensions  to  weigh  112  lbs. 
per  bundle;  and  the  conversion  of  Short  Weight  into  Long 
Weight,  and  Long  Weight  into  Short.  Estimated  and  collected 
by  G.  II.  Perkins  and  J.  G.  Stowe  .  .  .  .  $2  50 


PHILLIPS  AND  DARLINGTON.— RECORDS  OF  MINING  AND 
r  METALLURGY : 

Or  Facts  and  Memoranda  for  the  use  of  the  Mine  Agent  and 
Smelter.  By  J.  Arthur  Phillips,  Mining  Engineer,  Graduate 
of  the  Imperial  School  of  Mines,  France,  etc.,  and  John  Dar¬ 
lington.  Illustrated  by  numerous  engravings.  In  one  vol¬ 
ume,  12mo.  .......  $2  00 

pRADAL,  MALEPEYRE,  AND  DUSSAUCE.  —  A  COMPLETE 
r  TREATISE  ON  PERFUMERY  : 

Containing  notices  of  the  Raw  Material  used  in  the  Art,  and  the 
Best  Formulm.  According  to  the  most  approved  Methods  fol¬ 
lowed  in  France,  England,  and  the  United  States.  By  M. 
P.  Pradal,  Perfumer  Chemist,  and  M.  F.  Malepeyre.  Trans¬ 
lated  from  the  French,  with  extensive  additions,  by  Professor 
II.  Dussauce.  8vo . $10  00 


20 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD'S  CATALOGUE. 


.—PRACTICAL  GUIDE  FOR  THE  MANUFACTURE 
ue  mPER  AND  BOARDS. 

By  A.  Proteaux,  Civil  Engineer,  and  Graduate  of  the  School 
of  Arts  and  Manufactures,  Director  of  Thiers’s  Paper  Mill, 
’Puy-de-D6m6.  With  additions,  by  L.  S.  Le  Normand. 
Translated  from  the  French,  with  Notes,  by  Horatio  Paine, 
A.  B.,  M.  D.  To  which  is  added  a  Chapter  on  the  Manufac¬ 
ture  of  Paper  from  Wood  in  the  United  States,  by  Henry  T. 
Brown,  of  the  “American  Artisan.”  Illustrated  by  six  plates, 
containing  Drawings  of  Raw  Materials,  Machinery,  Plans  of 
Paper-Mills,  etc.  etc.  8vo.  .  .  .  .  .  $3  00 

ULT.— ELEMENTS  OF  CHEMISTRY. 


By  M.  V.  Regnault.  Translated  from  the  French  by  T. 
Forrest  Betton,  M.  D.,  and  edited,  with  notes,  by  James  C. 
Booth,  Melter  and  Refiner  U.  S.  Mint,  and  Wm.  L.  Faber, 
Metallurgist  and  Mining  Engineer.  Illustrated  by  nearly  700 
■  wood  engravings.  Comprising  nearly  1500  pages.  In  two 
volumes, '8vo.,  cloth  ......  $10  00 

IELLERS.— THE  COLOR  MIXER  : 

Containing  nearly  Four  Hundred  Receipts  for  Colors,  Pastes, 
Acids,  Pulps,  Blue  Yats,  Liquors,  etc.  etc.,  for  Cotton  and 
Woollen  Goods:  including  the  celebrated  Barrow  Delaine  Co¬ 
lors.  By  John  Sellers,  an  experienced  Practical  Workman. 
In  one  volume,  12mo.  .....  $2  50 

IHUNX— A  PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  RAILWAY  CURVES 
1  .AND  LOCATION,  FOR  YOUNG  ENGINEERS. 

By  Wm.  F.  Shdnk,  Civil  Engineer.  12mo.  .  .  $1  50 

IMEATON— BUILDER’S  POCKET  COMPANION: 

Containing  the  Elements  of  Building,  Surveying,  and  Archi¬ 
tecture  ;  with  Practical  Rules  and  Instructions  connected  with 
the  subject.  By  A.  C.  Smeaton,  Civil  Engineer,  etc.  In 
one  volume,  12mo.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $1  25 

IMITH— THE  DYER’S  INSTRUCTOR: 

*  Comprising  Practical  Instructions  in  the  Art  of  Dyeing  Silk, 
Cotton,  Wool,  and  Worsted,  and  Woollen  Goods:  containing 
nearly  800  Receipts.  To  which  is  added  a  Treatise  on  the  Art 
of  Padding ;  and  the  Printing  of  Silk  Warps,  Skeins,  and 
Handkerchiefs,  and  the  various  Mordants  and  Colors  for  the 
different  styles  of  such  work.  By  David  Smith,  Pattern 
Dyer.  12mo.,  cloth. . $3  00 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


21 


IMITH.— PARKS  AND  PLEASURE  GROUNDS : 

Or  Practical  Notes  on  Country  Residences,  Villas,  Public 
Parks,  and  Gardens.  By  Charles  H.  J.  Smith,  Landscape 
Gardener  and  Garden  Architect,  etc.  etc.  12mo.  .  $2  25 

ITOKES. — CABINET-MAKER’S  AND  UPHOLSTERER’S  CQMPA- 
1  NION : 

Comprising  the  Rudiments  and  Principles  of  Cabinet-making 
and  Upholstery,  with  Familiar  Instructions,  Illustrated  by  Ex¬ 
amples  for  attaining  a  Proficiency  in  the  Art  of  Drawing,  as 
applicable  to  Cabinet-work;  The  Processes  of  Veneering,  In¬ 
laying,  and  Buhl-work;  the  Art  of  Dyeing  and  Staining  Wood, 
Bone,  Tortoise  Shell,  etc.  Directions  for  Lackering,  Japan¬ 
ning,  and  Varnishing ;  to  make  French  Polish  ;  to  prepare  the 
Best  Glues,  Cements,  and  Compositions,  and  a  number  of  Re¬ 
ceipts  particularly  for  workmen  generally.  By  J.  Stokes.  In 
one  yoI.  12mo.  With  illustrations  .  .  .  .  $1  25 


STRENGTH  AND  OTHER  PROPERTIES  OF  METALS. 

Reports  of  Experiments  on  the  Strength  and  other  Proper¬ 
ties  of  Metals  for  Cannon.  With  a  Description  of  the  Machines 
for  Testing  Metals,  and  of  the  Classification  of  Cannon  in  ser¬ 
vice.  By  Officers  of  the  Ordnance  Department  U.  S.  Army 
By  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  Illustrated  by  25  large 
steel  plates.  Ini  vol.  quarto . $10  00 

rpABLES  SHOWING  THE  WEIGHT  OF  ROUND,  SQUARE,  AND 
1  FLAT  BAR  IRON,  STEEL,  ETC., 

By  Measurement.  Cloth  ......  63 


SAYLOR.— STATISTICS  OF  COAL  : 

Including  Mineral  Bituminous  Substances  employed  in  Arts 
and  Manufactures;  with  their  Geographical,  Geological,  and 
Commercial  Distribution  and  amount  of  Production  and  Con¬ 
sumption  on  the  American  Continent.  W’ith  Incidental  Sta¬ 
tistics  of  the  Iron  Manufacture.  By  R.  C.  Taylor.  Second 
edition,  revised  by  S.  S.  Haldeman.  Illustrated  by  five  Maps 
and  many  wood  engravings.  8vo.,  cloth  .  .  .  $6  00 


rpEMPLETON. — THE  PRACTICAL  EXAMINATOR  ON  STEAM 
1  AND  THE  STEAM-ENGINE  : 


With  Instructive  References  relative  thereto,  for  the  Use  of 
Engineers,  Students,  and  others.  By  Wm.  Templeton,  Engi¬ 
neer.  12mo.  .  .  .....  $1  25 


22 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


T 

T 

T 


HOMAS.— THE  MODERN  PRACTICE  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

By  R.  IV.  Thomas,  F.  C.  S.  8vo.,  cloth  ...  75 

HOMSON.— FREIGHT  CHARGES  CALCULATOR. 

By  Andrew  Thomson,  Freight  Agent  .  .  .  SI  25 

URNBULL.— THE  ELECTRO-MAGNETIC  TELEGRAPH: 

With  an  Historical  Account  of  its  Rise,  Progress,  and  Present 
Condition.  Also,  Practical  Suggestions  in  regard  to  Insula¬ 
tion  and  Protection  from  the  effects  of  Lightning.  Together 
with  an  Appendix,  containing  several  important  Telegraphic 
Devices  and  Laws.  By  Lawrence  Tnrnbull,  M.  D.,  Lectu¬ 
rer  on  Technical  Chemistry  at  the  Franklin  Institute.  Revised 
and  improved.  Illustrated.  8vo.  ...  S3  00 


mURNER’S  (THE)  COMPANION: 

Containing  Instructions  in  Concentric,  Elliptic,  and  Eccentric 
Turning;  also  various  Plates  of  Chucks,  Tools,  and  Instru¬ 
ments  ;  and  Directions  for  using  the  Eccentric  Cutter,  Drill, 
Vertical  Cutter,  and  Circular  Rest;  with  Patterns  and  Instruc¬ 
tions  for  working  them.  A  new  edition  in  one  vol.  12mo. 

SI  50 

TTLRICH— DUSSAUCE.— A  COMPLETE  TREATISE  ON  THE  ART 
U  OF  DYEING  COTTON  AND  WOOL: 


As  practised  in  Paris,  Rouen,  Mulhausen,  and  Germany. 
From  the  French  of  M.  Louis  Ulrich,  a  Practical  Dyer  in 
the  principal  Manufactories  of  Paris,  Rouen,  Mulhausen,  etc. 
etc. ;  to  which  are  added  the  most  important  Receipts  for  Dye¬ 
ing  Wool,  as  practised  in  the  Manufacture  Impdriale  des  Go¬ 
belins,  Paris.  By  Professor  II.  Dussacce.  12mo.  $3  00 

TTRBIN— BRULL.  — A  PRACTICAL  GUIDE  FOR  PUDDLING 
U  IRON  AND  STEEL. 


By  Ed.  Urbin,  Engineer  of  Arts  and  Manufactures.  A  Prize 
Essay  read  before  the  Association  of  Engineers,  Graduate  of 
the  School  of  Mines,  of  Liege,  Belgium,  at  the  Meeting  of 
1805 — 6.  To  which  is  added  a  Comparison  of  the  Resisting 
Properties  of  Iron  and  Steel.  By  A.  Brull.  Translated 
from  the  French  by  A.  A.  Fesquet,  Chemist  and  Engineer.  In 
one  volume,  8vo.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $1  00 


w 


ATSON. — A  MANUAL  OF  THE  HAND-LATHE. 

By  Egbert  P.  Watson,  Late  of  the  “  Scientific  American,” 
Author  of  “Modern  Practice  of  American  Machinists  and 
Engineers.”  In  one  volume,  12mo.  (In  press.) 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD’S  CATALOGUE. 


23 


"ATSON. — THE  MODERN  PRACTICE  OE  AMERICAN  MA¬ 
CHINISTS  AND  ENGINEERS  : 

Including  the  Construction,  Application,  and  Use  of  Drills, 
Lathe  Tools,  Cutters  for  Boring  Cylinders,  and  Hollow  Work 
Generally,  with  the  most  Economical  Speed  of  the  same,  the 
Results  verified  by  Actual  Practice  at  the  Lathe,  the  Vice,  and 
on  the  Floor.  Together  with  Workshop  management,  Economy 
of  Manufacture,  the  Steam-Engine,  Boilers,  Gears,  Belting,  etc. 
etc.  By  Egbert  P.  Watson,  late  of  the  “  Scientific  American.” 
Illustrated  by  eighty-six  engravings.  12mo.  .  .  $2  50 


w 


ATSON.— THE  THEORY  AND  PRACTICE  OF  THE  ART  OF 
WEAVING  BY  HAND  AND  POWER : 

With  Calculations  and  Tables  for  the  use  of  those  connected 
with  the  Trade.  By  John  Watson,  Manufacturer  and  Prac¬ 
tical  Machine  Maker.  Illustrated  by  large  drawings  of  the 
best  Power-Looms.  8vo. . $7  50 


SATHERLY. — TREATISE  ON  THE  ART  OF  BOILING  SU¬ 
GAR,  CRYSTALLIZING,  LOZENGE-MAKING,  COMFITS, 
GUM  GOODS, 

And  other  processes  for  Confectionery,  &c.  In  which  are  ex¬ 
plained,  in  an  easy  and  familiar  manner,  the  various  Methods 
of  Manufacturing  every  description  of  Raw  and  Refined  sugar 
Goods,  as  sold  by  Confectioners  and  others  .  .  $2  00 


’ILL.— TABLES  FOR  QUALITATIVE  CHEMICAL  ANALYSIS. 

By  Prof.  Heinrich  Will,  of  Giessen,  Germany.  Seventh  edi¬ 
tion.  Translated  by  Charles  F.  Himes,  Ph.  D.,  Professor  of 
Natural  Science,  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  Pa.  .  $1  25 


w 


ILLIAMS. — ON  HEAT  AND  STEAM  : 

Embracing  New  Views  of  Vaporization,  Condensation,  and 
Expansion.  By  Charles  Wye  Williams,  A.  I.  C.  E.  Illus¬ 
trated.  8vo.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $3  50 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 

TT  305  P14  1869 

C.  1 


CONS 

BKS 


The  Painter,  gilder  and  varnisher's  comp 


3  3125  00225  2399 


5!'i  fjji 


